Shopping Online… where and why?

It often seems that our lives are getting busier and busier. Being busier translates to having less time to do everyday tasks, like going to the mall for clothing, going to a video rental store for the best new releases, or going to the record store to shop for music. I find myself faced with these challenges, and at times it feels like very purchasing decision I am making ends with me filling out an online form for my credit/debit card information. Where I choose to shop, however, is generally in only a few places:

1. Amazon

2. iTunes

3. Netflix

All three of these services have not only made my purchase much faster, but they have also turned me into a shopaholic. It's so easy to obtain the items that I wish for, and when they combine their offers with special deals for other products, or at the very least they advertise for another deal in a sidebar of some sort, I find myself purchasing far more during each transaction than I had planned originally when I opened my computer.

Someone perhaps more rational than me may argue, "Well, why didn't you just ignore their deals and buy what you needed anyway?" Well, my irrational self, keen on having everything I need before I really need it (which may or may not result in a future life crisis as a hoarder when I'm older and sentimental over children's science projects past), I choose to submit myself to the ploys of advertising or "it's-just-so-easy-and-convenient-so-why-not" thinking that these three online retailers/services offer.

Amazon Search: "Nikon D5000 Bundle," compared to "Nikon D5000" alone

Amazon

Generally, anything I've ever needed to purchase, I've been able to do so using Amazon. Amazon has connected me with great deals, low-cost shipping, and an incredible selection. Amazon also works with its suppliers to offer its customers better deals. A particular purchase stands out in my mind two years ago when I was looking for a new DSLR camera. I only had a certain budget, and after going to camera stores in the area, I felt discouraged that the cameras were too expensive, and that additional amenities, like another lens, a case, a lens cleaning kit and so on would cost too much. My cousin suggested that I hunt a little harder on Amazon, looking specifically for SLR "starter kits." 

I began my search, and I was soon pleasantly surprised by all of the great deals available. The Bundle (I chose Nikon D5000) included the camera body, the lens, a lens filter, a camera bag, cleaning supplies, a strap, and a 16 GB memory card-- all for about $850. Currently (the prices were higher two years ago, mind you), a Nikon D5000 body can cost $600 alone and a standard lens can cost $200! So for nearly the same cost two years later, I had all of the useful pieces for being a startup photographer! No where else could I find a similar deal, so Amazon made it not only easy to compare this Nikon bundle to that of other cameras, but the site also offered me more options that I would have otherwise had access to. 

iTunes

There once was a time when consumers had several different kinds of music player: some people used Zunes, others iPods, others generic mp3 players, and even the occasional walk-man. Now that the iPhone has taken over a great portion of the cell phone market, the iPhone has also taken the place of a standard music player for most. If a consumer has chosen a different phone than the iPhone, however, many people still choose to use an iPod over another music player. Many young people may have been opted into the "Get an iPod Touch for free with your purchase of a MacBook this fall as you head to college" deal, or many may be attracted to the great storage capacity of many of the more traditional iPods, but in the end, most of my friends have at least some form of an Apple music listening device!

I own several Apple products. Aside from the compatibility between Apple products, I am also attracted to the ease of use of its products and software. Having owned 3 iPods (the iPod Mini, an iPod 2.0, and an iPod Video), I don't know which came first. My iPhone or my Mac… When I entered college, I was still stuck in a BlackBerry contract as all of my friends moved to the iPhone. I desperately wanted an iPhone, in part due to its trendiness, but I was also attracted to how easy it was for the user to upload and download music from the computer using the iPhone. Therefore, this may have had an influence when I purchased a Macbook for college, which also had the iTunes preinstalled software. 

iTunes Home Page, shows featured music and suggestions
for each account holder based on their preferences

With iTunes preinstalled and absolutely compatible with and intended for use with an iPod or iPhone, it was an easy choice to pick a provider for my listening needs. I love listening to music. I love discovering new music, and with iTune's ability to study my music library and make suggestions based upon what I have in my library, in addition to what I listen to most often, it makes purchasing from iTunes so much more enticing. I know that iTunes is dedicated to helping me enjoy music, I know that it's usually incredibly easy to find the song I wish for, and iTunes makes it easy to discover new artists and songs, because they have the "What's New" tab and the "Free iTunes Download of the Week" available every Tuesday. As a source for music know-how, iTunes is a great source. They also give me bios on the artists, so that I can compare and contrast them. Finally, it's so easy to preview and download from iTunes that there's no real question as to why I choose iTunes over taking the time to enter a music store and hunt down the tracks I like. iTunes puts it all at my finger tips, so that I can even purchase new music between my 1:30 and 3:45 classes. Therefore, due to convenience, I find that iTunes is often my go-to source for music purchased online. 

Netflix

Netflix Homepage that tracks previously watched shows and
movies and determines  suggestions according to my preferences.

While I don't actually buy anything but a membership from Netflix, I think there is something to be said about choosing Netflix over using RedBox or Blockbuster. Netflix is a favorable movie viewing platform because 1) it is accessible from any computer with Internet access and account holders can even access Netflix using their favorite game console; and 2) the site records what I have watched in the past, and by assessing the rankings of what I've viewed in the past, the site recommends other TV shows and films that  Netflix believes that I would like. Therefore, Netflix is better than any Blockbuster or RedBox, because it allows me to watch films at any time that I'd like without having to leave my home, and the Netflix service also helps me discover new shows and movies that I'd like better than any employee at a Blockbuster, because it matches my preferences to similar genres and/or choices. 

Finally, because Netflix members are asked to pay a monthly fee, paying for the service is really easy. Of course, it may at times feel like a burden if I find myself using the site less frequently during that particular month; however, the site allows its members to also put their account on hold during vacations or slow months, so I have more control over my membership. This feature is better than a site like Audible.com (operated by Amazon, actually) that forces members to either be active members or to cancel their memberships altogether if they cannot commit to the service any longer. Netflix also lets members choose what kind of membership they'd most prefer. If the member realizes that s/he wouldn't use the instant service as often as the DVD service, the member can select the DVD only options, or they can select only instant services if they expect that they will not use DVDs as often. Therefore, Netflix has a plan for everyone, which diversifies its business and suits its customers needs. 

Therefore, each of these services have particular reasons for why I choose to use them most often, but the reason that all three share is ultimately convenience. I recognize that none of these services may always be the cheapest options, but they certainly make the purchasing process simple and easy for their consumers. For that reason, when I'm faced with an opportunity to utilize the Internet to complete a purchase or access a service, these three services are paramount in my mind. Furthermore, if someone hasn't tried these services yet (though I doubt this to have happened for nearly anyone at this point), I think it in their best interest to check out these sites.