Most of you reading this already know that there’s a certain joy that comes from shopping. Never mind the mountains of money you owe on your credit card, that stinging feeling can easily be soothed by the comfort of your new Adidas shoes. Your tears can be wiped away by that new, unnecessary tissue box dispenser with the cool artsy carvings on it. Now, where would you be had that local mall with the fun stores not been a short 20-minute drive away? You would be at home, shoeless with a boring tissue box, probably awaiting an online order that is soon to disappoint. Little do you know how much of a negative impact all your online shopping does to these brick and mortar businesses you love so much.
Don’t get me wrong, I, just like any other person, enjoy my casual Saturday morning online browsing. Buying things online is easy and effortless. But more times than not, my purchase doesn’t turn out the way it looked online, takes forever to ship to my house, and I have the pain of trying to ship the item back just to start the entire process all over again.
While you may think returns are harmless, returning an online item in stores can harm the neglected business. Return after return adds up for a store, pushing its sales down and making it responsible for selling the item that was never a part of the original stock. If for some reason no one else wanted the item, the store profits become negative. Small things like this (on top of online markets) take away from business and hurt some of our favorite stores—resulting in less merchandise and eventual shutdown.
Can you imagine a life without shopping centers where you bought everything online? It’s a nightmare if you ask me. We also cannot forget the other fun aspects that aren’t fulfilled from a computer screen. Shopping centers allow you to meet up with friends, experience fine dining, get a little extra exercise, and most importantly, take the items home that same day. These little ingredients are all part of what makes avid shoppers come back for more.
So, the next time you are shopping online, check to see if the item you want can be bought at a store nearby. If so, use your day off to get out there, socialize, and support your local businesses before it’s too late!
How important are shopping centers to you? Tell me what you think in the comments below.
