Online Shopping

online shoppingOnline shopping is very new to us Kenyans and most of us haven’t tried it yet. You don’t have to ask why it hasn’t become popular what with fraudsters so common in Nairobi. Many have fallen prey to cyber crime around the world so it’s wise to tread with caution with this online shopping thingy.

Let me share my personal experience.

Most of you especially Facebook users have seen many online shopping advertising their goodies. Well there is one which specialises in bags and seeing this advert like 3 times a day on Facebook my curiosity was aroused.

I browsed the goods quickly, liked several bags but decided on one and went directly to the ‘How to order’ page. I read the terms and was very pleased to see that there was a cash on delivery option. After some deliberation and a tug of war between me, myself and common sense, I won.

I ordered for the bag.

I requested for it to be delivered the same day and by noon I had it and it was as I had anticipated.

Now I am a fan.

Pros

  1. It’s good for those people who are pressed for time you browse, order and voila, you have your merchandise.
  2. It’s also convenient as most of the sites promise a maximum delivery time of 48 hours, you can also make your preference known especially if it’s urgent.
  3. Apart from your eyes and fingers, you don’t need to walk from shop to shop looking for the right dress, shoe, bag etc.
  4. Some sites ship for free to your doorstep so it’s cost effective.
  5. You can browse as many goods as you like (sizing them up with your eyes of course) without a shop’s attendant nagging.

Cons

  1. Takes the fun out of shopping for some of us who enjoy the experience of trying out a gazillion outfits before deciding on one.
  2. If they are delivering outside Nairobi, some sites require you to pay upfront before the goods are dispatched which can be tricky.
  3. The merchandise can turn out to be a disappointment, sometimes what you see isn’t what you get.
  4. The goods are usually quite costly.
  5. Chances of getting conned are high especially if cash is required upfront. Always shop from trusted and well known sites.
  6. Sharing plastic information online especially on email isn’t secure.
  7. Too many scammers out there, always double check the address of the site then read the privacy and security policy and the terms and conditions well.

Well the advantages/disadvantages are many and they will continue to grow as this kind of shopping grows in Kenya. There are quite a few sites that peddle their goods online and you can get pretty much anything especially for your wardrobe thanks to technology.

Online shopping or not? Your choice.

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