Advantages and disadvantages of buying online

Advantages and disadvantages of buying online

For merchants and entrepreneurs, shopping online has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional commerce. But consumers and customers also perceive certain advantages and disadvantages when buying products or contracting services through the Internet.

In fact, some features that are seen as eCommerce benefits for customers are perceived as disadvantages for sellers.

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of buying online

When considering the creation of a business or the adaptation of an existing one, it is important to consider what advantages there are for the company and what advantages for customers. In this way, it will be easier to assess the effort that must be made to take advantage of the advantages and solve the disadvantages that eCommerce has for users and customers.

That is why below we are going to compile several lists with the advantages and disadvantages of buying online.

Advantages of buying online

The following circumstances suppose benefits for customers or sellers, and in no case are they an inconvenience to anyone. In these cases, both parties benefit from buying and selling online:

  1. No queues to buy
  2. Access to stores and products in remote locations
  3. It is not necessary to have a physical store to buy and sell
  4. This means that the place where the store is located is not so important for the sale
  5. It is possible to offer and find a large number of options
  6. Online stores are available every day at all hours
  7. Ability to buy and sell to other consumers and take advantage of C2C commerce
  8. Immediate purchase of digital download products (software, e-books, music, movies, etc.)
  9. Ease of growth and offer more and better products and services
  10. There are no space limitations or conditions, which allows more products to be available
  11. Ease and speed to communicate
  12. Personalization of the purchase and the customer experience
  13. No need to handle cash
  14. Fast and efficient transactions and contracting
  15. Easy to manage inventory, so that customers know immediately if what they are looking for is available. For sellers it is also an important advantage to be able to replenish before stocks are exhausted
  16. Reduction of personnel costs
  17. Possibility of finding more customers or locating better stores through search engines
  18. Possibility of buying and selling rarer or less commercial products, but that have their market share
  19. Ability to closely monitor the product during transport

Disadvantages of buying online

Buy online

Buyers also find certain drawbacks that hurt sellers and that sometimes they also perceive as a disadvantage.

  1. Lack of communication and personal relationship
  2. Inability to test the product before buying it
  3. You need a secure internet connection
  4. It is essential to have a device from which to connect to the Internet
  5. Fear of fraudulent payments, scams and theft of personal information (hackers)
  6. Difficulty or even inability to detect scams and scammers
  7. Absolute dependence on the Internet
  8. There are additional costs that, in most cases, will have to be borne by the seller
  9. Discomfort for returns
  10. Delay in receiving the products (at least one day)

Advantages of eCommerce for consumers that hurt sellers

This last list we show features and utilities of eCommerce that consumers consider very advantageous and that, however, represent great drawbacks for sellers.

  1. Ease and speed to compare prices
  2. Availability of discount coupons and special offers
  3. Delivery of each product individually
advantages, disadvantages, ecommerce
Related article:
Advantages and disadvantages of Ecommerce

Conclusions

It seems clear that the advantages of eCommerce outweigh more than the drawbacks, both for consumers and merchants. In order to be successful in an online business, entrepreneurs must take into account the circumstances that customers consider disadvantages in order to facilitate the purchase process and increase sales.

In any case, these lists should serve to value eCommerce as a business opportunity extraordinary and to take it into account as a main activity, and not secondary or complementary to a traditional business. Moreover, with the passage of time it is seen that local physical businesses are emerging as a complement and expansion of an electronic business.

What has become clear is that there are advantages and disadvantages of buying online. What must be assessed is whether those positive things prevail over the negative ones since it is the only way for the business to prosper and the customer to be satisfied with their purchase.

And you, have you found any advantages or disadvantages of online shopping that we haven't listed here?

More information - Advantages and disadvantages of eCommerce compared to traditional commerce


4 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Andrés said

    Hello greetings!
    How do I find contracts consecutively?

  2.   Giovanna said

    Well yes, to buy online and have it reach the Canary Islands for now, it is still an almost impossible mission.

  3.   Javier Alberola Berenguer said

    Hello
    Of course, the advantages of electronic commerce are more than obvious, but a big disadvantage is or could be the age of the merchant, both when it comes to "taking a step forward in your business" and the customers you normally have in your business. your business.

  4.   Carlos said

    The main drawback that I see is that in Spain there is a lot of difference if you live in the peninsula or in the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands ... in the latter it is an odyssey and in the Balearic Islands the waiting time is sometimes quite long.