By Karen Muthoni
Every woman, Black, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, you name it, has one thing in common; they love to shop not only as a pastime but for its therapeutic quality. Two things that are closest to a girl’s heart are her handbag and a fancy pair of shoes which like it or not are a must have. A girl can go hungry but she will not be caught dead with an ugly pair of shoes I mean who would right? Looking the part at a gathering, soothing a broken heart or rewarding yourself for a well-deserved achievement is one of the many reasons shopping is a must do.
Traditionally, going shopping involves scheduling a day weeks in advance, gathering the cavalry (it’s no fun when you are all alone) and raiding every single store you can think of. This is in a bid to find the perfect pair of shoes, jewelry or dress for that occasion that you need to be the show stopper. It takes every effort and zaps all your energy as you shop hop and listen to weary sales agents go on and on about how you should pick this item over the other.
To say that this is a tedious task would be a grave understatement aside from it being a delightful and salutary affair. The number of stores one has to visit in search of the very elusive unique item , to the number of sales agents who would say just about anything to get you to purchase an item can take a toll on anyone. In reality you can try on something hideous and the attendants will smile sheepishly and say how fancy you make the item look as they chase for that commission that your buy brings. As if that is not enough you have to deal with traffic both on the road and human traffic say at the mall or wherever your shopping bonanza takes you.
http://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/exhausted-shopper.html
Despite the benefits of this all so exciting venture, shopping sprees not only need money, but also need plenty of time for shop hoping and of course ample room to carry all the loads of shopping bags that come with this pricey expedition. It such a wonder anyone ever went shopping with all the baggage it carried. Yes the time you spend with your friends is worthwhile but sometimes you spend all day looking for something that you would not find or worse still spending tones of money on something you do not fancy and may never use.
http://argylehousing.com.au/event/scam-awareness-shopping-rights-seminar/
Fast forward to the 21st century and shopping is no longer a preserve of the elite or those who have tones of money to spend and loads of time on their hands. You can now have whatever your desires at the click of a button at little or no extra cost whether or not you have free time on your hands or you as busy as can be. The phenomenon that is the internet has changed how everything is done and redefined convenience as we know it. Not only can you get all the information you require about any subject you can think of but you can acquire any item your heart so desires at the comfort of your space.
The internet has revolutionized the way we do business and leveled the shopping field literary. If you are a book fad for instance, all you need to do is type the title of the book you are looking for or better yet the subject which you would like to know about ‘voila’ a library of books to choose from. Better still, if you want to buy a book sites like Amazon and eBay would be more than happy to oblige along with shipping. With this you not only have the luxury of picking the item you need but also enjoy the luxury of having it brought to your door step we are literary spoilt for choice.
http://www.chinainternetwatch.com/11183/strong-growth-online-shopping-market-q3-2014/
Sites like OLX, Jumia, Kilimall ,Pigiame and many others have taken the role of being our shopping delight and eased our minds because not only do they bring items to us they narrow down the choices for us as well. If you need a phone for instance you have various sites to choose from and that’s not all you can purchase depending on your budget. It gives you the option of looking up the features, viewing reviews from other users and comparing it with other gadgets of the same caliber in the market. You can choose first hand or second hand and you do not have to pay until you get to see the item and verify that it meets your need.
Not only has the internet brought shopping closer to us and given us the convenience of home delivery, it has also opened an opportunity for us to sell items we no longer use in the instance that we need to upgrade to a higher version or better model. If you have house hold items or electronics that no longer serve your needs, all you have to do is take pictures price it and post it on a site and wait for it to sell. That is the option OLX has put in our hands which allow us to look for buyers without the hustle of trade marketing.
http://reviewwali.com/maximize-your-shopping-experience-online/
Social media has also heightened the online shopping experience. It is faster and cheaper to find these sites by searching them on social media. That is also coupled with a mobile phone application which makes it even easier to transact wherever you are either at home, at work or on the go. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the hustle that comes with dealing with crowded malls online shopping is definitely the way to go. You can literary multitask perhaps finish a report, get your nails done while handling your shopping rather than have your whole day doing one thing however exciting the experience maybe.
Digital Age Africa 