Essay Topic: Online Shopping – A Boon Or A Bane?
Introduction
Online shopping, as we know it, is immensely popular during the current digital days. People find it fun, in the beginning, to order stuff online and try getting familiar with the modern ways of living. They feel they are getting in touch with technology and are more aware now of how the world works. There is almost everything available for you, things you can even return and ask exchange for.
Further, online shopping lets you enjoy a lot of advantages, which were of more worth during the lockdown days. It has become a part of life for people living not only in cities but also for small-town ones now. It is highly popular, and, in fact, a common thing nowadays. Shopping through the internet is as much in use in the case of certain products such as clothing as in an offline manner.
But then the question arises, is it really a boon, or in fact a bane? Is online shopping that valuable as to think replacing offline shopping with it completely someday? Let us study more about the same and try to find more facts about the shopping trend.
Some benefits of online shopping for different people and at different times
Online shopping at first seems to be beneficial only. It comes with a lot of comfort for people when they find it hard to go out every time they need to buy stuff like clothes or household things and more. There is a huge variety of products available online through so many sites offering you their products and services. We even get to enjoy several offers and discounts on the same at times.
Again, there are more benefits as goes further to find out how online shopping has proved beneficial for people. Products from varying countries can also be bought through this means. One can compare the prices on varying sites and choose what’s more suitable for them. One can sometimes buy stuff online when he or she is unable to physically go to a shop due to varying factors.
One big benefit was during coronavirus pandemic time when the public went on buying things of basic necessities through online means. This method showed its value during those difficult times. And it proved to be really helpful when we feared even stepping out of homes. But, then nothing comes with just positive outcomes only.
Some of the most popular sites for online shopping in India can be named as Amazon, Flipkart, BookMyShow, Myntra, Pharmeasy, Snapdeal and BigBasket.
Coming to some reasons for calling online shopping a bane
It is not always possible to predict the quality of what you buy online. There are various features that you realize when you hold the product in your hands. It is difficult when to receive the order immediately after placing it as it takes days to be delivered. Further, you may not even have the return or exchange options available sometimes. They are for a limited period only in most cases.
Also, we can clearly see what sorts of frauds are going on these days, when it comes to paying the bills online. Online transactions have proved dissatisfying for many. Again, people have suffered losses due to random reasons through this method of shopping. Another negative point about it is that the youngsters get addicted to shopping online and keep their eyes scrolling the mobile screen for long hours every single day.
Online shopping is preferable in some products, but not in all sorts of products. Those products needing your on the spot judgment are not worth buying online as they may not be as per your expectations. Furthermore, there can be damages on the way and you may end up receiving a damaged product, which you may not be able to even place a return for. The process is overall technical and people of old times are not very fluent with it.
So, boon or bane?
Online shopping has already become a major part of our lifestyle. These are days when we cannot usually survive without mobile phones. So these are also times when we cannot several other things, of which online shopping is one. Call it is a boon or a bane, it has been there for years and is still flourishing with more and more digitalization and sites entering the market of products as well as services. We need to use it wisely so as to maximize benefits and minimize the chances of loss.
Conclusion
Finally, it can be said that this is a modern era and changes have to be made. Online shopping is just one significant example of how times are changing. It has been good and bad both for different people. We just need to be careful while using this means of shopping to get what we wish to get.