For a long time, there was a great deal of suspicion about shopping online. People were worried about credit card fraud, they were worried about not being able to inspect the products they bought before they paid for them and there was concern that online translated to fly-by-night, and that the companies would go under before they could fulfil orders. Those perceptions have changed radically in the last five to ten years, but there are still people who need to be convinced that online is the way to go. If you are one of those late adopters who is still hoping to be convinced, here are five reasons why online is the way to go when it comes to shopping.

Insurance

As a rule, most online financial transactions bring with them a cyber insurance policy. This is something that covers an array of thinks that might go awry. These including cloning and fraudulent use of credit cards and cloning of websites or email accounts. Online reputations are very important, and businesses can be made or broken by the online rating and feedback. So, most companies will ensure that they are covered with insurance in the event that anything goes wrong.

Comparisons are easy

To compare prices in traditional brick and mortar shops, you need to pound the pavements and check what is on the shelves. Online allows you to stay in one place and check everything out from the comfort of your home. You can even weigh up the merits of buying from an overseas supplier who might be able to offer the item that you want at a price that is cheaper than you can get it locally.

Great returns policies

When e-commerce first came to the fore there was a lot of resistance to it in terms of not being able to try on items or see them in the flesh first. Many a case study showed that this was one of the biggest barriers to the success of online shopping. The solution was fairly simple, although it took the retailers a while to realise it was the way forward. The return policies of most online retailers are very lenient. No questions asked refunds and returns are the norm, meaning that if an item is lost in transit, damaged before you get it or it doesn’t fit, you can swap it out or get a refund easily. It takes all the risk out of the transaction for the consumer.

Avoid crowds

For many visiting the mall is not a pleasurable experience at all. Particularly at busy times of year like Christmas. Heaving with people, parking issues and the pain of lugging around all your purchases, the mall is more about socializing that it is about shopping. Online shopping allows you to shop at any time of the day or night while sitting on your couch and sipping a glass of wine or a beverage of your choice. It sounds like a fantastic experience. And if you pay a little extra you can probably have your items delivered the same day!