To "e" buy or not to "e" buy? That is the question.

I was recently chatting to hubby about the GFC and how the economic world is clearly changing, how so many businesses and consumers have to look to the world of 'e' buying and just what this means to the retail world and indeed the changing economic world.

I mentioned during our conversation that, just prior to Christmas, I was listening to one of my fav radio stations and one of the two female presenters was telling the listeners how she had purchased all of her Christmas presents via the Internet this year. Her co-presenter then informed us that she had never purchased anything over the Internet. Naturally the Internet savvy presenter was stunned (as I was) that this was the case. Being a very keen eBay shopper myself and purchasing most of my adornments for my handbags/ handbag business via the Internet, you can appreciate my surprise and hubby’s as I told him this fact.

Later that week, I met up with some girlfriends for a "girly" lunch. One advised us that she too, had purchased all of her Christmas gifts via the net. Again, another girlfriend advised us of her having never made any net purchases. I was once again very interested and surprised.

This clearly growing trend of Internet purchasing bought me back to the conversation hubby and I was having. We both agreed that the number of shops closing down has been caused by a number of factors, one being the number of people purchasing goods online instead of physically walking into shops and making purchases. He advised me of one particular Australian businessman who actually wants the government to bring in a tax for online shopping, clearly due to his business suffering. Hubby also explained that some retail shops want to charge shoppers who come in, try on items of clothing and then leave without making a purchase. Apparently the trend is for the savvy internet shopper to go into a shop and try on items, work out the correct size and then go home and purchase that item online, thus saving you quite a substantial amount.

I can certainly see the retailer's points of view. After all they have staff to pay, rent to pay and clearly along with the GFC and the increase in Internet shopping, the retail shops are certainly suffering.

As we all know, we can now read the local papers, even any overseas newspapers/magazines online are available to us through the press of a button without having to leave the house let alone the country to purchase them and I for one love this technology and reading The New York Times too! I have a friend who purchased their house online without stepping one foot into it before signing on the dotted line. Crazy? In my opinion yes, but who am I to say what is right? Australia Post has even set up a 24 hour post office in our city to help cater for the ever increasing Internet shoppers and their purchases/returns. The facilities will soon be spreading too many other post offices to accommodate all of us.

After much deliberation, I decided to set up my business website for this exact reason. I want everyone out there to be able to purchase my goods no matter where you live.  Though I absolutely love attending our market each week to sell my wares (www.louisedempsterbags.com) I, too, came to the realisation that if you are not Internet savvy with your business, eventually you are going to be left behind.

There are a plethora of reasons for not shopping online. One reason for me being that I have declined to grocery shop online due to my preference for being a touchy-freely grocery shopper. I do not want someone else choosing my tomatoes, apples, shallots. I like choosing my fruit and veg by touching, feeling and smelling. How can I possibly use an avocado tonight for that guacamole if it is as hard as a rock when it arrives today via my online shopping? What about that lovely pineapple that grandmother taught us to smell before we bought, to test how ripe it was? You see it isn't going to work for me in this way because I need that ripe avocado for tonight and Mr online fruit and veg packing person doesn't know that.

As I sit and write these words, I must lament about how one day, I will have to succumb and abandon my touchy-feely grocery shopping and join the band wagon of online grocery shoppers. If the rest of you dictate that this is the way the world is going, then so must I. I can't see my local greengrocer leaving my local shop opened for little old me!

Until then, my friends, I hope that the world will allow me to continue to 'talk' to the fruit and veg in my shop of choice. I enjoy voicing my opinion of them and their suitability for consumption whilst standing alone chatting to 'them' whilst other shoppers wonder if I have recently escaped from a psychiatric facility due to my conversing with the item in my hand. Oh and I will continue to walk into shops and purchase that item of clothing or pair of shoes so that I get the right fit the first time and help keep the staff remain employed.

So, until you all force me to do such online shopping my friends, I remain the touchy-feely shopper today. Tomorrow? We will all have to wait and see.