By Khue Tran
If you were looking for a new hoodie, where would you start?
Would you make a visit to your favorite stores with one hand holding a pile of clothes to try on and another going through the racks? Or, would you go on your favorite shopping apps and scroll through the countless designs offered right at your fingertips?
We all have experienced both types of shopping before, fostering our personal opinions on the topic. But, have you ever wondered if one of these options is better than the other? In an attempt to answer this question once and for all, I will be comparing both online and in-person shopping side by side to find out which of these options is the better choice.
Variety available
If you were to shop in person, you might go to a mall: for example, South Coast Plaza. You’d find that despite how big the mall is, there’s only a handful of stores you’d actually want to buy from. After hours of searching, you might even feel obligated to just buy the best option out of the bunch – even if you didn’t love it.
On the other hand, online shopping gives you access to every store there is to offer, from the same ones at your mall to businesses across the world, giving you endless designs to choose from. Whether you decide to go with the hoodie you found at Uniqlo or the one you found from a Thailand brand instead, they would all be available in the palm of your hand.
Quality check
Nobody knows what you like best better than yourself; you could buy the most expensive item from Dior and still be unsatisfied with it if you don’t think it looks good on you, which is why trying on an item or just physically testing out its material beats any five-star reviews offered online. To avoid ever buying an item you tried to love only to realize you can’t match it with anything, you just have to try it out.
You thought you have found the perfect hoodie for yourself – everything from the color, design, and fit looks perfect on the model. But there are so many things that can go wrong with this virtual system: the size might be wrong, the color might look off, or maybe it looks nothing like the images at all! Of course, you can always return it, but let’s be honest, we rarely remember to return it on time.
Pricing
When purchasing at retail prices, there is no difference in prices. Most sales happen both in-person and online, with the addition of special location-based promotions at in-person shops. However, online storefronts often offer more promotions and sales than in-person stores.
There’s always the “10% off first order” sale, the “refer to a friend” discount, and “free shipping at $50” offers when it comes to online shopping. But even without discounts, prices you find online are often more affordable. With such a competitive market out there, you would be offered a larger price range than you would in person.
Experience
The shopping experience is a double-edged sword. Although in-person shopping is an adrenaline-boosting experience that guarantees a good time with your friends, you can easily get carried away at the moment and splurge on items that will hang tag-attached in your closet for years to come.
But, online shoppers aren’t spared for their experience either. With the average product shipment taking from five days to three weeks to ship, you might no longer see the appeal of the product by the time it arrives at your doorstep. While it is true that you have a better chance of making a well-thought-out purchase with your online shopping cart, the feeling of scanning through the rack of clothes to find the one you want might just be worth the bad decision.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it is all a matter of your priorities. Do you prioritize convenience or testing things out? Do you enjoy the thrill of treasure hunting or prefer finding a niche design? Even after writing an article that leans toward online shopping, I’d always choose in-person shopping when given the chance.
Perhaps you’re different, or perhaps you feel the same, but now you’ve walked away knowing you can make a choice that reflects your preference.
