Why Christmas Shopping Online is Better?

September marks the start of Christmas countdown in the Philippines. It’s the time of the year when you begin to hear Christmas songs at malls and over the radio. It’s a happy feeling, really. And, when you think about Christmas, you can’t help but think about decorations, gifts, sales and etc. All of which involves some kind of “shopping” and “spending”. But, did you know that Christmas shopping online has become the new norm in these day and age, when every minute is considered valuable? Below are 8 perks why you should consider Christmas shopping online for this year:

1. No Crowded Places and No Long Queue

During “BER” months (September, October, November and December), I try to stay away from malls or any crowded places. It’s not that I’m an introvert, but the time spent at overly crowded places only equates to a waste of time and energy. The shopping task which I can accomplish in 30 minutes can take up to 1 hour if I’ll do it in a crowded mall. And, this is mostly because of that long queue at the cashier. Truly, there’s just so many things going on, with so little time. Doing it online will be so much faster and easier. It’ll be done in just a few clicks.

2. No Pickpockets or Thieves

Alongside with crowded places are the danger of roaming thieves. Protect yourself from this danger and choose to do your Christmas shopping online instead. Now, if you’re worried that your credit card info might got stolen or that the item will not be delivered after your advance payment, then just choose an online store that offers a Cash-On-Delivery mode of payment. They will let you pay your order upon delivery. Hooray for safe shopping!

3. No to Becoming a Fickle-Minded Shopper

At the mall, you’re given too many options to choose from. It should be a positive point for mall-goers during Christmas season, but sometimes having the too many options means you need to spend too much time in decision-making. Being able to see, touch or even smell these items will only make it harder for you to decide which you should actually buy. It’s a “this or that, this or that” trap. Be careful, as you might end up falling for #4 — Overbuying.

4. No Traps and No Overbuying

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, overbuy means “to make purchases beyond one’s needs or in excess of one’s ability to pay”. It’s self-explanatory. At the mall or physical stores, we’re easily enticed with that cute little item (not included in the to-buy list) which without thinking, we’ll immediately grab and put it in the cart. We, then, tell ourselves “I’ll buy it now while it’s here, available and on sale. It can be an extra gift for someone, someday” . When buying online, you will have enough time to think it through. You don’t have to worry that the won’t be available tomorrow, because it will always be available and you can immediately buy it from comforts of your home.

5. No Transportation Cost and No Traffic Jam

For online shopping, shipping fee is always minimal and sometimes FREE if you reach a certain amount. That’s fair enough considering that you will shell out some cash too for transportation cost if you went to the physical store. But aside from transportation cost, the energy wasted on traffic jam is what will really get to your nerves. Since Christmas season is indeed accompanied by heavy traffic, shopping online is the best way to go.

6. No Sales Person who Watches Your Every Move

In the Philippines, sales person likes to follow consumers or mall-goers wherever they go. It’s probably part of their job description. And, since I can’t blame them for just doing their job, I am forced to let them follow me wherever I go. I don’t know about you, but I like to shop on my own, as much as possible. I don’t usually need much help, when buying at department stores. If you are like me and you finally decided to do your Christmas shopping online, you can getaway with that awkward feeling of being followed. True, it’s nice that sales persons are there to accompany you in case you need help. But, really, you won’t need much help at online shopping. The search bar and FAQs section will do the job.

7. No Leg Pains Due to Long Walks

Searching for that perfect gift can be tiresome. Sometimes, you’ll need to walk from building A to B, or level 1 to 4, only to find out that it’s out of stock. With online shopping, you just have to use the search bar and it will show you your preferred item/s. Some online shops has website capability to sort out the results by popularity, color, price and etc. It’s definitely a time and energy saver.

8. Yes to Better Prices and Discount Codes

So are you now convinced to go Christmas shopping online? If you are, choose an online shop that sells item at a reasonable price. Actually, most of them sell items at affordable rate since they don’t have to pay for mall stall rental fees. Also, if they have discount codes, use it. A percent off will surely go a long way. Speaking of reliable online shop that offers discounts, you may want to check out ZALORA. I am giving away an all-year round discount coupon code. Check it out below:

For NEW and OLD ZALORA Customers: use this discount code for the first time ZBAP2DDE (one time use only) at WWW.ZALORA.COM.PH, to get 15% off on all ZALORA merchandise. Minimum spend required: PHP 1400.
Here’s a sample on where to type your discount code. It’s at the upper right side of the screen:

Got anything to add? hit up the comments section below. 🙂

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