Online Versus Mall Shopping

Where are you doing most of your shopping, the mall or online? The lure of actually seeing and touching merchandise may no longer outweigh the convenience of the 'net.

71 percent of online shoppers report they are able to find better sales and discounts on the internet than at a local mall. That's according to the National Retail Federation. Then why are consumers still heading to the mall in droves?

After the recent tragedy in Nebraska are people re-thinking their holiday shopping plans? It doesn't appear so, as shopping center parking lots are as jam-packed as ever and lines are still forming in front of Santa at center court. Even the carolers near the door haven't missed a beat, and talk of beefed up security is being drowned out by the whirlwind of shoppers loaded down with packages, making a beeline for the escalators.

Will the internet ever take the place of the traditional American shopping mall? Probably not. You can't get a steaming double-shot latte online. You won't smell the aroma of freshly baked pretzels on the internet. And you can't virtually try a sample of the latest Calvin Klein perfume...Or can you? It may not be that far in the future. Already you can download entire books electronically. Does that mean traditional book stores are going the way of the dinosaurs?

I for one, love the entire mall experience. As soon as I get there I grab a vanilla ice storm at the Nordstrom coffee bar. Then I head on over to the shoe department to see the latest styles. After which I check out the hottest lipstick colors in cosmetics, maybe getting a free make-over in the process.

I can't do any of this online. But if I'm in a hurry, or looking for a specific hard-to-find item, the net is the place. So, the internet vs. mall shopping? There's probably no contest. Both will be with us for a very long time.