More shoppers do Christmas on the Internet
by Denise
Moyle, Outpost staff
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As we can all plainly see every night when we sit down to watch television, the Internet is a wealth of knowledge and information. Internet sites help you find a job or a car, plan to take a trip, check your stocks, apply for a loan or find a lost friend. There are even sites -- lots of them in fact -- to help you find sites. So it does not seem strange that the number of cyberspace-Holiday-shoppers would double form 4 percent last year to eight percent this year, according to a recent USA Today poll. And that number is expected to continue to rise. Another USA Today poll
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Right now it is pretty simple. I found all but three of the stores that I visited just by typing in the store name and adding a .com. But as more stores and businesses go online the more exotic their names are going to have to become. It is a simple problem of supply and demand. The consumer wants to shop at home, the store wants to sell its product, and the Internet provider can not have two sites with the same name. Imagine a Yellow Pages with every business name from every city in the world.
Another problem with the rapid rise in online shopping is that the sites were not prepared. Many had long waits and busy signals and ran out of products quickly. The businesses simply did not prepare for the rapid influx of business. I doubt, however, if the major businesses like "Toys R' Us" and "Barnes and Noble" will make the same mistake again.
And as we see more and more people flee the congestion of the big cities for more rural areas like Gardnerville and Fernley in Nevada, the more online shopping will expand.
Jane Moyle lives in Eureka, Nev., and does a good deal of online shopping year round.
"Our closest mall is four hours away," Moyle said. "To buy the latest best seller I have to hope they have it at Wal-Mart in Elko or buy it online. It (online shopping) saves me time and energy. My Christmas shopping is a lot less stressful. I know if I don't get it all done while I am in Salt Lake, I can finish it up at home. No more Dec. 22 trips to Salt Lake to get those last minute presents."
Deanne Hicks, a teacher in Elko, Nev., agrees.
"With the Internet I can comparison shop a lot easier," Hicks said. "I do not have to pay more for products just because I live in a remote area with limited competition. I can log-on and see who has what and how much they are charging for it. That way I know if I am getting a good deal or not."
On the whole it appears that online shopping will be an added bonus to everyone with Internet access, whether they use the 'Net for comparison, ease or just for fun. With technology doing what it is it will be safe and easy.
And as competition grows the price of shipping and handling is bound to dip. Right now a majority of the stores online offer discounts and coupons and pay for shipping to make the price equal to that in the store. So you can stay home, put on some music, let your hair down, shop 'til your fingers bleed and leave the mall to its "rats."
Posted Dec. 13, 1999
Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost
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