This week’s blog post was contributed by Rowen Aston, a work experience student that loves to shop. Rowen’s insight into the retail experience offers a unique perspective often not covered in the press- that of a 15 year old.
“Many people say shopping online is the way forward, but I much prefer going in to stores myself. Doing this makes it much easier to browse different sections without having to tackle hundreds of tops before finding that one top I really want, and shops are mostly nicely decorated, giving them a better environment than online, and setting a scene for the clothes and products they are selling. I rarely shop alone, and usually go with friends or older siblings. This allows me to look at things I may not normally, and a second opinion is always helpful.
When I shop online it is usually because I have found something in store that I liked, but my size was unavailable. With all of the filtering options available online items are easily found, making it easy to quickly get hold of what I want. I definitely find shopping online more convenient; there are no queues and no unwelcoming staff.
In terms of my favourite places to shop, I love ASOS. I like them because they show their products on models, giving me an idea of what it will look like on me, as well as giving ideas about what I could wear items with. They sell a wide range of clothing in many different styles so I can shop for many things without having to visit lots of different sites – plus they always have great offers on. The ASOS Marketplace, especially, is not only good for people who are looking for interesting and unusual clothes, but also a great place for people to sell clothing in a community environment. My past experiences with ASOS Marketplace have been very good, much like eBay the sellers have ratings that have been given by people that have bought from them, providing a reliable review.
As the amount of people shopping online increases, the amount of people shopping in stores may decrease, so it is important for stores that do not yet have an online presence to begin the shift to trading online. I think reviews are very important and make shopping online an easier, and more relaxing experience. However, if I had to choose between shopping online and shopping in store I’d choose in store every time. It’s fun to shop with other people, and there’s an atmosphere in store that you just don’t get with the internet.”