Why Traditional Retail Stores Stay Irresistible Despite the Dawn of eCommerce

It's a question that shoppers often ponder: if online platforms can deliver countless products directly to your doorstep with attractive discounts and deals, why do people still prefer venturing into physical retail stores?

Why Not Order Online?

Why order anything if you can get the same product or products for the same exact price and get it locally?

Just because you can order things online doesn’t mean that you should order them. Would you rather spend your money on a bottle of lotion shipped from across the country, when you can walk down to your local drugstore and shop in person? Or should you wait for your package of printer ink to arrive, when you can simply drive to a nearby retailer and pick it up right away?

Not everyone has access to the internet, and not everyone has the means to buy the basics they need. But what about those who do? The convenience factor alone is a strong argument for sticking to traditional retail stores.

Immediate Gratification

The ability to touch and feel an item is often a major factor for many consumers. Besides, why wait for your item to arrive when you can simply walk away with it immediately?

Convenience and Availability

Would you rather shop from a Big Box store such as Walmart, Reliance Fresh, or Big Bazaar, or would you rather get your goods from your local Kirana store?

While some shoppers opt for the convenience of purchasing monthly provisions at big box stores, many still rely on the local store for their daily needs. It’s not necessarily the big box stores that generate the most foot traffic. Your local general or Kirana store plays a major role in serving your immediate needs. Convenience and availability are key reasons why consumers choose to shop in these types of stores.

Pro and Con of Online Shopping

Online shopping has its pros and cons. Here is a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of shopping through e-commerce websites versus traditional retail stores:

Pros of Online Shopping

Anytime, Anywhere, Anyday Shopping: With online platforms, you can shop whenever and wherever, as long as you have internet access. Ordering Multiple Products Easily: You can order multiple products within minutes with just a few clicks. Easy Payment Methods: You can pay with various methods, including cards, cash, or even EMI options. Convenience: You can have deliveries made even when you are not home, and enjoy easy returns without the hassle of going back to the store.

Cons of Online Shopping

Ruthless Spending: Online shopping makes it easy to forget how much you are spending. No Touch, No Feel: You have to trust customer reviews to make purchasing decisions, but you can't feel the product for yourself. No Social Experience: Traditional shopping is a social activity, often enjoyed with friends, partners, and family. Online shopping lacks this communal aspect. Unfamiliarity in Rural Areas: In some rural areas, internet and online shopping may be unheard of.

Loggerheaded: Achieving a Balance

Despite these pros and cons, I still personally use many e-commerce apps, especially when I have a planned purchase or when the item is not urgently needed. For example, if a delay of half an hour to an hour wouldn’t bother me, I might use a mobile app for my purchase.

While online shopping is on the rise and growing rapidly, it’s important to recognize that the traditional shopping experience cannot be completely disregarded. Holding hands with my husband, walking through the malls, and shopping together is, without a doubt, any day better than just selecting products online and discussing them over phone or WhatsApp images.

Conclusion

For many consumers, traditional retail stores are simply more appealing. The tactile experience of shopping, the presence of other people, and the immediacy of finding what you need right now are all compelling reasons to continue the tradition of shopping in physical stores.

From your local general store to the biggest supermarkets, traditional retail stores serve an important purpose. The rise of e-commerce doesn’t diminish the value of these stores but rather emphasizes the need for balance between the speed and convenience of online shopping and the personal and immediate nature of in-store purchases.