Online Shopping: Compare, Contrast

I normally try to avoid two posts so close in a day, but this was too rich to pass up. Compare. Contrast. One is a recent article from Time Moneyland, the other is from LockerGnome. We know online shopping is picking up, just think about Cyber Monday and the online deals every year around Christmas. But, all is not roses and candies. Go read them both, then let's come back.

Time Moneyland is written from the perspective of trying to convince us to be good stewards of our dollars. The 10 second rule is a good rule. I have saved much money that way; though I do sometimes make impulse buys like Veritech fighter models. Though, that was in a store, not online. I do think Time  should give us more credit than it does. If online shopping were easier, I would not suddenly be poor and broke. Also, did Iddison compare shoppers on, say, Amazon or other sites that allow users to remember their information? Were there noticeable differences in shopping habits between those users and other users? Did the rate of abandoned carts go down significantly? I don't know, he doesn't say! That's a reasonable question, something that scientists should ask.

LockerGnome is coming from a slightly more upbeat perspective. I pretty much agree with everything that is said there. Shopping online means I can buy pretty much anything I want, provided I have a shipping address. Out of date D&D modules? I've got it. A working NES? It's out there. Those are things I can't just walk next door and buy. If you try hard enough, you can probably get yourself groceries too. Though, the biggest selling point for me falls under variety. If I have a desire for a niche thing, I can find it online. I may pay through the nose once I decide to bite the bullet and buy Suikoden 2, but it will be there.

Digital distribution models for games, and even the features on Amazon that let you read the first few pages of a book, are helping to bring the in store feeling to shopping. Online, I can watch a trailer for a game before I buy it; good luck doing that in the store. Time is right though, some things (like clothes!) are really a hands on sort of purchase. The internet is the future of commerce, and I imagine we'll be seeing more and more articles and studies on e-buying.

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P.S.,

I just thought it was interesting two different people (publications?) I follow were talking about the same thing. So, compare. Contrast.