Online shopping
Online shopping – using the Internet to buy consumer and business goods from online stores – is one of my favorite ways of saving time, getting better service, having a wider choice and obtaining better quality. It is also fun and I do not have to be concerned with parking or queues.
I have been shopping online since the mid-90s and these days my wife and I use online shops for many products and services – we even buy groceries online.
We live on the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia and the shops around here are fairly comprehensive. We are not far from the state capital Brisbane. Despite this, there is a lot that we cannot get here. We are also disappointed in the poor service we receive from a lot of bricks and mortar stores these days – and this is despite us having a good attitude as customers ( in other words we do not attract problems by treating sales staff badly).
Another reason we shop online is to save time. Even just nipping out to the shops, or ducking in somewhere the way home, can use up valuable time and therefore add significantly to the cost of the item. Many people fail to consider the value of their time while they’re busy trying to save a few dollars here and there. If they did not have this focus they might have more time to increase their income, or for some other worthy purpose such as quality time with their family.
An online store is only a click of a mouse away and as such is very convenient. We are careful about which websites we place orders with and over the years have never actually been dudded, though we have had one or two close shaves.
As time passes I will be writing various articles on this blog about particular goods or services and why I think they’re worthwhile. There are also links on my websites, sometimes with reviews and comment.
I tend to be an early adopter of technology and new ways of doing things. I have a very critical eye, in a healthy way, and am astute in the way that I assess things. I have no time per second rate service, but do bear in mind that at times people can make mistakes. Simply speaking, anything or anyone I recommend is definitely not “crap”. That said, I am not of course responsible for your own personal experience. I like to help people – the readers of my blog who will benefit from my experience, and the business people who are providing a great service or product and who are deserving of support. Helping a small or medium sized business is much more satisfying than spending money at some huge store chain in the local mall where customers are just numbers on a shareholders report.
In recent years I have noticed a subtle change in the way I go about shopping. Very often now, whenever I need something, I immediately start looking online and usually attempt to order something if I can. Obviously, not everything is appropriate for online ordering. My first reaction, or habit, nowadays is to reach for my mouse – not the car keys.
My wife and I order a huge range of goods and services online, and some of these are ordered from overseas. In due course, on this blog, I will be giving you some key information about ordering from overseas too.
Articles in this blog will also contain key advice about specialist areas, such as buying clothes online – men’s clothing, women’s clothing and so on. I refer to this as a specialist area because of the sizing and look issue. Buying online clothing it’s not quite as straightforward as some other products.
If you are a business person, or otherwise time poor, then delegating your shopping needs to the online world is an extremely smart move.
I have just recently ordered two new belts online, from a store in America. When they arrive I will tell you about the site and write a review. I have no doubt that I’m going to be very pleased from what I discovered when reviewing their website. The article will contain key tips about how to assess online shopping websites for suitability.
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