….The good, the bad and the precautions

Buying and selling has never been so easy, especially when it has to do with going through the pushing and shoving associated with the market square/place or walking from one end of a shopping mall to the other.

Nigerians are of the opinion that having your goods delivered right at your doorstep is something less stressful.

According to them, one advantage of shopping online is the sheer convenience it provides the shopper.

Again, the sheer availability of almost everything one needs online and the smartly designed websites that make promises to deliver at doorsteps are the reasons has made shopping less stressful and poses a challenge to the conventional physical shopping.

E-commerce is not confined to retail shopping only; it encompasses a whole spectrum of diverse businesses in general and has grown on the back of retailers’ convenience.

The Big Players
The rocket Internet start up Kaymu, which started operations in 2012, has grown to encompass a few countries in Asia and 10 African countries.

And within a few years after starting operations in Pakistan and Africa, it acquired for itself, a reputation of being equivalent to Internet big names, like e-bay and Alibaba.

While Jumia may be regarded as Africa’s biggest independent online retailer, Kaymu is touted to be Nigeria’s very own eBay, as it allows the sellers fixed price sales and auction bid processes to sell their products.

DealDey plays the virtual tourist guide, which promises to the individual, the benefits of daily discounted coupons for the best places to visit, the things to do, see and shop for in Lagos.

You can book travel packages or visit a spa with just a click of your mouse and also save a tremendous deal on your chosen services.

The Nigerian online travel agency, Wakanow, promises the services of a regular table and chair office.

Through the site, many travellers find it convenient and easy to book flights, arrange airport pick-ups or make hotel reservations in any part of the world.

For people seeking services related to buying and selling of properties, the online real estate agent is a convenient option.

With Nigerian sites, like Lamudi.com, Hutbay.com, Nigeria-property.com and many more making their competitive presence known on the web, it has become even more effortless to invest in a property, irrespective of its location.

Not just these, daily essential items are waiting to be picked on the Internet and at fair prices.

There are online grocery stores, florists, gift shops, pet stores, car dealers, like Carmudi, Jiji.ng, and used items stores such as OLX.

Jumia gives room for payment on delivery/pickup at doorsteps or Jumia pickup stations, thereby ensuring buyers gain full trust and confidence in them.

The online store has successfully integrated its pickup stations in Cross River, Edo, Delta, FCT, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo and Rivers, with Lagos having the largest stations.

Regardless of the full satisfaction derived in receiving items at the doorsteps, most shoppers have expressed dissatisfaction and experienced some delays.

Comparison Of Prices
With advanced innovation of search engine, shopper(s) easily check prices and compare with a few clicks.

It is very straightforward to conduct price comparisons from one online shopping website to another, giving shoppers the freedom to determine which store offers the most affordable item.

Cut Off The Long Queues
Unlike the physical shopping malls, where shoppers wait in long queues at the checking points to be checked of the items bought, when buying items online, there are no such.

Shopping online cuts down those bad habits of standing in a long line and just waiting, as online stores are designed with unique individual ordering features to purchase the item.

Easy to Search What You Want To Buy
The shopper is able to look for specific item that includes model number, style, size and colour that he/she wants to purchase.

In addition, it is easy to determine whether the products are available or out of stock.

Anytime And Availability
Online shopping stores are open round the clock and it is very rare to find any conventional retail store that opens 24 hours.

The availability of online stores gives shoppers the freedom to shop at their own pace and convenience.

Saves The Embarrassment
There are times shoppers want to purchase something out of the ordinary that can be a bit embarrassing when seen by other people, such as weird ornaments, sexy lingerie, adult toys, etc.

In online shopping, customers do not need to be ashamed, as transactions are basically done privately.

Save Fuel And Travel Time
The hike in pump price of petroleum products, harsh economic condition, bad state of most road and erratic traffic in the cities have combined to make online shopping more attractive.

Disadvantages
Despitethe success of online shopping, there are still some disadvantages that most people complain about.

Personally Check the Item
The method does not allow the shopper(s) touch, see and test the product personally before ordering.

Online stores only show the product description and photos, which sometimes could be slightly different from the physical items when delivered.

Diminished Instant Satisfaction
Unlike buying at retail stores, the shopper is unable to use the product instantly after purchase until delivered.

Online shopping requires patience for the item to be delivered, which may take two to six hours or about three days or even longer, depending on the location.