Online Shopping vs. Brick-and-Mortar Shopping

By Scott Fitterman

Many people have engaged in the online shopping vs. brick-and-mortar shopping debate. The topic might come up while waiting in a line at the mall or while spending hours looking online for a hard-to-find item. Both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants have certain pros and cons that differ based upon the types of products offered and the specific needs of the individual shopper.

Brick-and-mortar stores have their benefits — e.g., certain product categories are better suited to traditional retail environments, the ability to touch and see objects in-person. Online stores can provide consumers with pictures and videos, but actually holding a product can provide some tactile impressions that simply can't be matched online. Consider shopping for a watch, where the heft of the piece and smoothness of the metal inform the buyer as to its value.

Additional brick and mortar benefits include the following:

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