Is Online Shopping the Future Of Commerce?
The Internet has revolutionized our lives to such an extent that for most people, the global network has become more then just a tool but rather an indispensable aid in everyday life. More and more people go online as wireless networks have brought the Internet closer and closer: it’s on our mobile phones, in our cars and TV sets, in hospital surgery rooms and in fishing boats that battle the waves of the Atlantic.
And this revolution has brought along with it a new way of shopping. Both big and small, e-commerce websites have literally flooded the Internet by the hundreds of thousands. Anything you can buy from a brick and mortar store you can also buy online: from food and clothes to guns and ammo, no matter what you’re looking for, you’re bound to find the right online store with just a few clicks of the mouse.
This revolution has sent cold shivers down the spines of brick and mortar business owners. And what was their reaction? They’ve opened online stores to go hand in hand with their conventional businesses. Nowadays, every “Mom and Pop’s” cheesecake store also has a website. In a recent survey, 68% of small business owners have stated that they are scared of being put out of business by the raging torrent that e-commerce has become. So it’s no wonder many of them have decided to join the revolution and establish some kind of an online presence even though most of them have stated that they have an aversion towards the Internet.
But do the big players have reasons to be afraid? Are we going to start seeing ghostly, deserted Walmarts across the country? Probably not in the near future but the day will come when most people will just stop shopping offline anymore. A trip to Walmart wastes time, burns gas and sometimes adds a few extra dots on the stress counter.
The recent advancements in mobile technology and the introduction of mobile phones with enhanced web capabilities has even made some people order their groceries when they get out from work and have them delivered at their doorstep by the time they get home. And as “Time is money”, this practice is lifesaving for people who work two jobs.
Technology will continue to advance and e-commerce will follow closely in its footsteps. Everything will become easier and less time consuming, leaving us more time to enjoy the things that really matter in life: the ones we love, our friends and hobbies (unless, of course, shopping in a brick and mortar store is on top of your hobbies list).