This article introduces the comparison between physical shopping and online shopping.
Online and physical shopping journey
In the following table, you will discover the different steps used by the buyers when they enter a physical store and an online store.
Tina will help us discover the comparison between online and physical shopping steps.
Please read carefully
Tina is visiting a physical store | Tina is visiting an online store |
Tina enters the store and picks up a cart. |
Tina uses a navigator to do an online search to find a store. She wants to visit the webstore.
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Tina signs up for membership in store. | Tina has the choice to create an online account to receive promotions and newsletters.
She will fill out a form to complete the registration process.
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Tina walks into the store to see or check her items. | Tina does an online search or clicks the main categories of the web store to see the items listed. She can also make an online search on the store's website to find the items faster. |
Tina picks up her items and places them in the cart. | Each times Tina finds the desired item, she adds it to his virtual shopping cart. |
Tina goes to the cashier to pay her items. | Once she finishes her item selection, Tina clicks on the shopping cart to check the amount to pay. |
Tina pays her items with her debit or credit card. | Tina chooses a method of payment (Credit card, PayPal, wire transfer, Interac) to complete her order. |
Tina goes back home and enjoys her item! |
Tina chooses the delivery options according to her needs.
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Tina goes back to the store to return her item. | Tina receives the order, but there was a mistake. She fills out a claim like an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) request to return the item to the seller. She can also use an online order cancellation form to proceed. |
Tina goes back to the store to get her item changed. |
Tina also has the choice to request online an item exchange.
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As you can see, there is not a significant difference between online and physical shopping. The process is almost the same; however, there are many differences related to the advantages and disadvantages offered by each of them. See more details in the following comparison tables.
Online shopping | |
Advantages | Disadvantages |
The visit of an online store takes less time.
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It’s impossible to touch or try an item. However, you can search for a video preview of people who tried it.
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Fast online profile creation.
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Price varies from one site to another.
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Customization of your items and also your online customer profile.
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Additional delay in returning an item in some particular cases.
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Your purchase history is always available.
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Price's negotiation available only by email, chat or phone.
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Cost summary, you can see the cost of your orders.
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Cannot see and touch an item.
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Customer comments and reviews are available online. You can see the feedback left for an item.
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Access to many online discounts
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Stock status is available in real time.
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Delivery at home or pick up in store, available at some places.
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Online price comparisons to find the better price for an item.
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Physical shopping | |
Advantages | Disadvantages |
It’s possible to touch and try your item in a store.
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More time required if you have to visit many stores.
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There is no long form to fill out when you need to return your item.
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No history of your order, so you may have to keep your files manually.
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You can negotiate the price on an item right away.
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Unknown stock status.
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You can’t predict if the item will be in stock.
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You have to go back to the store to return an item.
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You can see and check the quality of your item.
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It may take more time to compare your prices.
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Thank you for your reading time!
Mark M.