Online+Shopping

 Overview
Online shopping “is the process where consumers directly buy goods or services from a seller in real-time, without an intermediary service, over the Internet.” Online shopping requires the consumer to have access to a computer, a bank account and a debit and or credit card. In this day in age it’s not unlikely that someone would possess these things, making online shopping that much more popular. When surveying my housemates about how they feet about online shopping, several common themes emerged. Common responses were that it was easy and convenient, cheaper (than in-store shopping), less stressful and there were more options. Despite hating the shipping and handling fees, they agreed it was worth it to have items delivered to their door as opposed to wasting gas driving to the mall. Online shopping was also appealing because, “I can do it in the nude” and “I won’t be embarrassed to look at different things, like Hello Kitty underwear.”

Online retailers use “shopping carts” and a “checkout” process to replicate the in-store experience online. During this process the buyer can adjust the quantity of items, change colors and sizes before finalizing their order. Payment almost always requires an e-mail address to receive confirmation of the purchase. This is beneficial to the retailer because now they have a file started for their consumer, including payment information, an address or two and a list of items they bought. With this list the store can then provide items that they think the consumer would want, making it more likely you would shop there again.

**History**
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**Opinion**
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**Future Trends?**
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