Is Online Shopping Going to Replace Traditional Stores?

By Perry Reid

If you take a look around at our modern society, it is easy to come to the conclusion that online shopping is quickly becoming the norm (although it's not there yet!) while traditional retail seems to be shrinking at an alarming pace.

Some people see the advantages in this trend, while others do not.

On one hand, the internet has done a great job at connecting individuals to products they are looking for, promoting competition and therefore lowering prices by increasing consumer's options.

Still, if you live in a bustling city full of quirky retail shops, you can see the harmful effects that the evolving cyber world has had on the material world. Niche brick and mortar stores are shutting down in record numbers, and many neighborhoods are losing the charming stores they once had in favor of yet another wifi-enabled cafe.

More and more major corporations are slowly shifting their operations online, too, to get a taste of lower operating, manufacturing, and labor costs while reaching a much larger worldwide prospect and client base. With the internet's many advantages, it is very unlikely that the world will ever start to turn towards its old ways ever again.

Another major benefit that consumers have when choosing to shop online is transparency. Reviews and consumer feedback are readily available for all sorts of products. At the touch of your fingers, you can find out whether or not the product you are interested in has worked for others.

With all of these advantages and benefits that online shopping has given to people, it can be hard to imagine why anyone would want to shop offline. However, there is definitely a certain charm to shopping offline; getting to interact with other people face to face and being able to see, smell, and sometimes even hear goods on display can be a very rewarding experience.

Some may call it evolution, others may call it a tragedy. Still, one thing seems certain: in the years to come, internet commerce will only grow. There may indeed come a time in the not so distant future when traditional retail is gone with the wind. - 29969

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