During difficult economic times and inflated gas prices, many people are finding the internet to be their answer to making each of their hard earned dollars purchase MORE! Are YOU one of them? Groceries and Clothing – normally items people would rather buy in-person due to quality or sizing concerns are quickly becoming obsolete by the tools and tricks of today’s online retailers.  It is up to us to take advantage of these tricks, but not JUST for Groceries and Clothing!

There are some great advantages to online shopping:

  • No Sales Taxes – You do not have to pay sales taxes on your purchase as long as the online retailer is physically located outside the state from which you are located.
  • Comparison Shopping is Easy – With the click of a mouse, you can quickly compare multiple websites to find the lowest price available.
  • The Power of Numbers and Size – Not limited by Geographic location and exposed to world-wide audiences, online retailers easily have the potential to sell more than any Brick & Mortar retail location.  With this wider consumer market, they have the potential to buy product in larger bulk quantities, therefore lowering the price to consumers.
  • No Driving Necessary – You don’t have to put wear-and-tear on your automobile, burning expensive gas, taking the short drives around town to shop for various oddities.

In the early days of E-Commerce web retailers faced many obstacles that prevented them from growing, but with the growth and evolution of the internet, many of these obstacles were overcome.

Some hurdles the online retailers were able to overcome include:

  • Shipping Fees – Most major online retailers now offer Free Shipping Incentives based on larger orders, Shipping Discount “Clubs” and Memberships (Such as Amazon Prime) or there are websites that exist which expose Online Retailers offering free shipping specials.
  • “Try Before You Buy” Mentality – With the growth of Product Feedback features on most retail websites, the public is free to give feedback on products (either positive or negative) and their experiences of the individual products.  This is one of the greatest advances in the online retail evolution that assures consumers they are purchasing an item of quality that could properly suit their needs.  This turned a difficult obstacle into an exclusive benefit that the brick & mortar retail outlets could not provide!
  • Instant Gratification – Although not fully resolved, next-day / expedited shipping gives consumers quick access to their purchases.

I find it funny that the religiously penny wise, coupon-cutting consumers you see at your local grocery store are more than likely not the same ones who will make use of the many advantages of online shopping.  Hopefully this article will help shed light on the many financial advantages available to them besides their local newspaper.  It is up to us as consumers to make the wise choices when it comes to saving money.  Online Shopping is just one more way!

(See some of my Money Saving Tips articles and suggested websites to find the best deals online!)

Do you know a penny-wise coupon cutter who is oblivious to online shopping?  Tell them!

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