Shopping From Home - With both husband and wife working in today’s materialistic and fast-paced world, everyone is busy with their respective lives and have no time or energy to do the daily chores. Shopping from home be it in the form of telemarketing, online shopping or home-to-home selling has become quite a boon to such couples.
Shopping from within the comfort confines of the home, without taking a step out of the house, has become a rage (can say necessity also) all over the world.
You cannot only buy clothes, jewellery, and latest electronic gizmos, but you can even buy your monthly grocery or fresh fruits and vegetables while sitting at your home.
Ways of shopping from home:
Shopping from home can be done through:
a) Telemarketing: Here, different products, ranging from kitchen accessories to health products to slimming products are shown in TV programmes. These telemarketers also give their contact numbers while the show is on. You can call them up and ask for any clarifications regarding the product you wish to purchase. Then you can place the order and the product will be delivered right at your doorstep.
Generally, the payment is done at the time of delivery. But before accepting the product, ensure that it is the same product that you ordered and a cheap version or a look alike. You must also make sure that it has all the features as shown in the television.
b) Online Shopping: The biggest advantage of online shopping is that you are exposed to a large variety of products as against telemarketing. In online shopping, you have to create an account in an online shopping website. Select the products that you want to purchase and place the order. Your order would be delivered at your doorstep. Payment can be made through credit card, direct transfer of money from your bank account to the website’s account and cash on delivery. Here also, one must ensure that the product is not damaged and has same features as advertised on the website.
c) Home – to – home selling: This is a direct selling campaign in which salespersons go door to door to sell their products. These salespersons would give details of their products to the prospective clients and if the client is interested, they also give them the demonstration of how the product works.
This is one of the oldest methods of selling. Though it can be used for all kinds of products, it is generally used to popularize a new brand or product in the market. Payment could be made either by cash or by cheque. Since these salespersons have just one piece to give the demonstration, the product will be delivered to you within two to three days.
You have to make sure that the salesperson is the real representative of the company. If possible, you should take the company’s telephone number and enquire about his authenticity. Also keep a track of the company about the delivery of your product.
Tips for shopping from home:
Though shopping from home is very convenient and it saves time and effort, there are innumerable risks involved with it like wrong or damaged products being delivered or late delivery etc. following are some of the tips to be kept in mind while shopping from home.
a) Before placing an order, get all the details about the product, like its features, price, shipment or handling charges, return or refund policies and insurance. Take a printout of the same so that you have proof in case you receive a wrong or damaged product.
b) While giving your credit card or bank account details for payment of product, make sure that the page is secure and encrypted. This will be very helpful as others would not be able to see the information.
c) Don’t give the details about your credit cards or bank accounts unless you are paying for the product through them. If you need to give proof of your identity, you can give them the details about your identity card or passport.
d) While receiving the product, check whether the product is in a good condition and is accompanied by all its accessories, as advertised by the seller to avoid any problems later on.
Despite several disadvantages, shopping from home is here to stay, as the convenience it provides cannot be replaced by anything. So be careful in your dealings and go on a shopping spree while sitting inside your home!. |
