 | Before the dawn of the Internet, students seeking school supplies had no choice but to make their purchases at traditional bricks-and-mortar stores. Since the 1990s, however, more and more young people have turned to the Net to acquire a range of student essentials from reference books and writing utensils to clothing and electronics. In my view, while online shopping is not without its risk, it offers an excellent alternative to traditional shopping for mature student. |
The Advantages of Online Shopping
1. Online shopping is very convenience.
The first reason that e-shopping is so appealing to students is its relative ease and convenience. Buying online is a much faster way to obtain books and study aids then trawling through crowded bookshops and school supply outlets. For conscientious students with hectic schedules, purchasing items on eBay is an excellent way to free up valuable time for their studies. Products purchased online can also be delivered “straight to your door”, eliminating the burden of carrying heavy or bulky items.
2. Online shopping is without time limit.
The second advantage of online shopping is that it is available 24/7. Being able to shop ay any and all hours of the day is not only conducive to the late nights associated with the student lifestyle, but also means that students no longer have to plan their activities around stores’ opening hours.
3. Online shopping is more cost-effective.
The third and perhaps biggest draw of e-shopping is that it allows students to find the cheapest possible price at the click of the button. Students, who are notoriously strapped for cash, can ease their financial strain by taking advantage of bargains online. The growing number of trustworthy online shopping sites that provide secure transactions, coupled with the fact that scams and fraud once associated with Internet shopping are quickly becoming a thing of the past, has also made student more willing, and even eager, to shop on the web.
The Disadvantages of Online Shopping
Despite the advantages to student of making purchases online, there are also a few caveats that young people should bear in mind. Firstly, the speed and convenience of e-shopping may encourage frivolous or unnecessary spending by including students to buy more then they had initially intended. The temptation to spend hours surfing the Web to find out about the best buys or the latest fashion trends could also cause the studies of young shopaholics to fall by the wayside.
Secondly, there is a chance that those students who are already introverted may become even more alienated from the outside world. Indeed, online access to shops and services makes it practically unnecessary to leave one’s house. If taken to extreme, online shopping may cause shy or reserved student to live even more reclusive lifestyles, to the detriment of both their social and physical well-being.
Finally, students are unable to compare products in person since they can not physically assess the product and see them with their own eyes. They cannot see if the item they are going to buy has a rip, a tear, or doesn't meet the "feel" that they are looking for. What's worse, students cannot try or test out the product before they buy it. Especially for products such as electronics, clothes, and shoes, there is no way of knowing how clothes and shoes fit on them by shopping online.
Last but no least, the most serious is that
they may have risk to receive many malware and spyware on the Internet, such
as Trojan.Agent.BRVGen, Win64/Sirefef.AL and Generic28.CMJO and so on, and so on. In order to get money,
cyber criminals released these viruses to trick people and get gather their personal information
and other sensitive information. The Internet may be used as tools to cheat or
transmit some fake information. Those malware and spyware can make great chaos
on students’ computers, make their computers perform very slowly and may be frozen easily,
and steal their personal data, including social security number, bank account
or credit card number, telephone calling card number, and other valuable
identifying data.
In conclusion, while online shopping, if done carelessly or without restraint, could prove to be a double-edged sword, the face remains that it is already extremely prevalent among students and, even today, continues to rise in popularity. Given the levels of intelligence, prudence and discretion imbued n young people, I am sure that most of them will be able to sidestep the potential drawbacks of online shopping, while taking advantage of all its benefits.
