Shopping options in the 21st Century

 

Some say the 21st century shopping experience has taken a turn for the

worse. Over the past couple of decades, is it not so that shopping precincts

and high streets across the land have become dominated by corporate

retailers and those familiar huge brands that have become ubiquitous on

the Aussie retail landscape? Many bemoan the fact that malls are no longer

places of quirky, independent stores. With such uniformity, don’t we all end up

owning the same stuff?

Let’s look at Sydney, for example. A trip to Pitt Street Mall on a Saturday

afternoon can be a pretty frustrating experience – crowds, high prices and

lack of choice (and often, rain) can serve to disrupt the serenity of what a

shopping trip should be. Such shops are the generally all the same with no

diversity available for the imaginative consumer.

Of course, Sydney can boast more specialized shopping options in Newtown,

Glebe, Rozelle or even as far as Bondi or Manly, but these too are becoming

increasingly dominated by those major stores. It’s no surprise that shop profits

are dropping, with Christmas increasingly the key time when these retailers

can make up for poor performance throughout the rest of the year.

With such increasingly limited range in malls, it follows that online retailers

are just going to go from strength to strength, as they have done in the past

10 or so years. Who among us hasn’t ‘bought Christmas’ over the internet

in one fell swoop in as little time as an hour? It’s true that sometimes the

fun of browsing and the social elements of shopping are negated when you

sit peacefully in your armchair, laptop on your knees, but the convenience,

quality and value for money from shopping in this way is undoubted.

Indeed, now we come to our main point: the fact that with so many interesting

retailers now offering their wares online, the diversity and independence that

was once part of the thrill of shopping has returned. Costs and hassle are low,

while quality remains high.

Everyone knows about Ebay, Amazon and all those big retailers, and

everyone knows about the fascinating little online sellers who specialize in,

say, certain styles of t-shirt, jewelry, trinkets and other items. But where do

we go if we need those all-important household items? Sometimes finding the

right place to grab the simple essentials can be a minefield online. What if you

need a light bulk or a frying pan before you want that t-shirt with the amusing

slogan on it?

Well, it seems that many savvy online business have realized that this is one

area where the consumer perhaps doesn’t have easy options. Some intriguing

new faces have emerged on this market, including Australia’s own
Only Online Direct Deals, where all manner of deals direct from the warehouse

can be had. From TVs to exercise equipment to, yes, things like jewelry and

teapots, innovative sites like Only Online have changed the game when it

comes to purchasing deals direct from the retailer.

So, with sites such as this a viable option, maybe that stressful trip to Ikea or

Fantastic Furniture is not so necessary after all.

Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .