As Christmas draws near, the dread of shopping grows. In pre-internet days, the only choice was a visit to the high street. Now, of course, online buying grows in popularity by the year and the streets echo to the sound of courier vans crashing over speed bumps as parcels are delivered to our homes.
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| Image Zalando |
I'm still unsure which sort of shopping I prefer. Each has its advantages, of course. There's the convenience of sitting at home, away from the crowds, to shop online. On the other hand, it's good to see and touch our purchases in high street shops.
Many are nervous of online shopping, but simple precautions can be taken to shop safely - this advice from BBC One's Watchdog programme is excellent.
Choice is an issue. Many shops run out of our size or colour at this time of year. Online vendors suffer similar problems, of course, but at least we can easily choose alternatives at the click of a mouse. High street shops have limited stock, while online stores often operate from vast, echoing, well-stocked warehouses newly-built outside our towns. The sheer scale of the choice available online is huge; see, for example, the online retailer, Zalando. I was astonished by the size of their offering - it would be quite easy to find a new trend at Zalando - anything from sports wear, fashion to accessories and designer clothes.
Very few goods, from books to whisky, cannot be bought online. Look for sensible return policies and minimum hassle arrangements for the return of goods and, while you'll miss the buzz of Christmas shopping on the high street, you will enjoy shopping online as well.
Which do you prefer and why? If you wish, please comment below.
Very few goods, from books to whisky, cannot be bought online. Look for sensible return policies and minimum hassle arrangements for the return of goods and, while you'll miss the buzz of Christmas shopping on the high street, you will enjoy shopping online as well.
Which do you prefer and why? If you wish, please comment below.
