Online Shopping

Online shopping is quickly becoming a convenient, time-effective alternative to in-store shopping for consumers over the past decade.

As an entry level employee at Forever 21, Deepa Gupta notes the popularity of in-store shopping, despite the increase of online options.

“[Teenagers] just see shopping as a way to hang out with their friends and have fun. So I don’t think physical stores are on the decline at all, but online shopping is definitely growing,” Gupta said.

She accredits the increase of online shopping to its time efficiency, especially for working adults who do not always have the physical energy to go out shopping after work. She added that the prevalence of online coupons are attractive to consumers.

For students, especially high schoolers burdened with homework and extracurricular activities, online shopping serves as a satisfying pastime without having to leave their homes.

“Online shopping is convenient because I don’t have to drive somewhere and look around the stores. I can just shop from my couch instead,” Katy Sanchez (11) said.

Others prefer the advantages of shopping in stores.

“It’s easier because I can actually try on things. But, if it’s not clothing related then I will definitely go online shopping because it’s easier to shop,” Evani Radiya- Dixit (9) said.

Many clothing stores give consumers the option to make purchases online and the reduced prices of online goods and frequent discount opportunities make the prospect of online shopping very appealing.

Some students, acknowledging the pros and cons of browsing online, prefer a combination of both in-store and online shopping.

“I look at clothes online from time to time. I feel like I like most of online clothing because if you can’t find something in an online store than it’s available online. But, sometimes it sucks because it takes a really long time to ship to your house,” Shivani Awasthi (9) said.

Evani noted the opportunities shopping in stores gives consumers and believes that online shopping, no matter how popular it becomes, can not take away from that experience.

“People are now using online shopping more and more but I feel like it won’t really grow to a huge extent because shopping is an experience and there’s no way to try stuff on when you go online shopping,” Evani said.

Despite its disadvantages, online shopping is on the rise among teenagers and adults alike.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on Apr. 4, 2014.