[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36855″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]More and more Filipinos now prefer online shopping. While there are things that people still opt to buy in person such as food, it is undeniable that there is a growing number of online sellers and buyers. To compete with online-established stores, many established physical stores have also already set up websites and online shopping options to meet this need.

Every buyer has a different reason for buying online or offline. For some people, they like to browse online before making the purchase in-store. Online reviews and the option to browse through the entire selection contributes to their decision to buy at a certain store.

Here are some of the factors you might want to consider

Payment and Price
Online, you would need to enter your credit or debit card details. If you purchase in the store, you can pay in cash or in your preferred credit card terms. However, not everyone has their own credit card. Some online stores might offer remittance or bank deposits as a form of payment, at an additional charge. Most online stores also charge extra for shipping or delivery.

One advantage of buying from online stores is that it is sold at a cheaper price. They can sell it at the base price because they do not have to pay for store rental, staff, and etc. Sales are frequent, but physical stores also offer sales promotions to compete with online stores.

For items that are harder to find, however, some online stores ask higher than the retail price. When you are ordering overseas, you also face having to shoulder the taxes for the item.

Options and Availability
It’s good to know what options you have. When you’re buying online, you can just surf from one store to another without having to move from your seat as compared to having to drive or commute. Browsing online offers a wider variety of options as opposed to physical stores.

One risk of buying online is ordering an item only to find out after waiting that it is actually out of stock. Physical stores can refer you to other branches that may have the item you’re looking for or order them in for you. Buying in person reduces the waiting time and offers a more instant gratification than waiting for the item to arrive at your doorstep. Time is also money.

Authenticity and Quality
The strongest advantage of physical stores is that you can actually see and touch the item for yourself. Most people are only confident in buying trusted brands online or things that others have said are of high quality. In this case, seeing is believing. There are many tales of items looking far different from how they looked in the pictures. It pays to be cautious.

So where should you buy?
Whether you choose to buy online or offline, try to consider the different factors cited above. Are you looking to have the item onhand immediately? Is the item you want not available in nearby stores? Luckily, Emcor has both an online and a physical store you can check out any time!

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