Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce or
e-commerce where a consumer can buy goods or services directly from a seller without a go-between service. According to a research in the Journal of Electronic Commerce, most people who shop in
online stores are those with higher levels of education, income and occupation. The theory is that these people are more exposed to
advanced technology and they are the ones who are more likely to explore new ways to shop. The method of payment is usually with the use of credit card (but some stores do not accept international credit cards), but there alternative modes of payment like the use of debit cards,
cash on delivery,
checks,
wire transfer and
electronic money. There are different ways a purchased product is delivered, depending on the product the consumer bought. It can be downloaded (e-books, music, movies, software), in-store pickup (the customer orders the product online and the product is delivered to the store nearest to the purchaser), shipping (the product is shipped to the consumer via third-party distributor), or at-the-door pickup (usually used for pre-purchased tickets).
Amazon
One of the most famous
online shopping stores is Amazon. (Note the logo of Amazon, it has an arrow from the letter a to the letter z, because according to them, they have everything you need from A to Z.) Amazon is a US-based multinational e-commerce company founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 with its headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Amazon started out as an online bookstore but has since expanded to sell computer software, video games, electronics, DVDs, CDs, MP3 downloads, apparel, food, furniture and toys. In August 2007, Amazon introduced AmazonFresh, a grocery delivery service. Customers can have their perishable goods delivered during a specific time in the day. It also has Red Cross channel which the company activates from time to time so that people can give donations in times of crisis like during Hurricane Katrina and 9/11.
Using Amazon is easy. You can either Search All Departments or narrow it down per department (Books, Electronics & Computers, Home, Garden & Tools, etc.). You can also read
customer reviews regarding products and look for similar products that other customers bought. It also features a customer who bought this also bought this when you look for a product. Amazon also offers Today's Deals, Gifts & Wish Lists, and Gift Cards.
Yahoo! Shopping
Yahoo! Shopping may look similar to Amazon in terms of the featured products but it is more of a price comparison service than one of the
online shopping sites found in the internet. Yahoo! Shopping allows consumers to see different price lists for specific products. Yahoo! Shopping does not really sell the products found in their website but they redirect you to where you can buy the products instead. If you are looking for something specific, you can narrow down your search by using filters. For example, you are looking for an engagement ring. Yahoo! Shopping can narrow your search results by price, by brand, by cut (of diamond), by karat (metal), by alloy, by carat (diamond), and by store.
Here in Stores-net we are trying to give all these useful information for online shopping stores in a single place. We can also offer you
discount coupons for your online purchases. Don't forget to add your honest review in the
reviews section, your opinion matters!
