Shopping on the Internet - Available, Easy, Safe and Economical

Article submitted by Mark & Jean Schwartz, small business owners of Schwartz International, a Colorado company serving seniors and their families with golden-rule service in the US and Canada since 1999.

The internet is everywhere... and internet shopping is growing in popularity every day. For on-line shopping to be a pleasant experience, it must not only be available and easy, it must save time and money, be safe... and, for many savvy consumers, it must also include that old-time, personalized customer service.

Many sites offer significant monetary discounts for buying over the web, because they pass on their overhead savings when we shop there. But nothing can match the internet's time savings and convenience - with no more driving and carrying unwieldy packages home. And nothing beats the Internet for instant, thorough comparison shopping.

But, none of this matters if it was not safe. The best advice is not to respond to unsolicited offers via emails. Barring that, the Altura Network (the company that backs MasterCard) has reported that over 30 on-line malls can boast of never having a single case of unauthorized charges made to a credit card shopping with them... with millions of transactions since 1997.

For many, it is the personalized service that some sites offer that makes all the difference. Some use software to welcome returning visitors and some offer real-time help, with real people. Some cutting edge sites have networked with small business owners to provide individualized, personal service modeled after the old-fashioned corner store of the past - but with the added benefit of huge inventories and immediate delivery to anyone, anywhere, 24/7/365.

Here are some interesting statistics:

In 1993, there were only 5 computers connected on the Internet. Now, an estimated 204.3 million people, or 74.9 percent of the population above the age of two and living in households equipped with a fixed-line phone, had Internet access. (Source: Nielsen)
The fastest growing online population is also the oldest. The over 65 group surged 25 percent in a year. (Source: Nielsen)
Online shopping is becoming more and more commonplace. US online shoppers will double to 132 million in the next five years. With today's hectic schedules, people save time by shopping online. In a recent study, 19% of Internet users shop online once per week and this number is expected to continue to grow (Source: Shop.org)
Retired seniors, who account for slightly more than 10 percent of the net population, go online an average of 15.9 days a month, more than any other group in the USA. (Source: Netvalue)
The number of people 55 or older online predicted to more than triple... and will account for 20 percent of all users. (Source: Forethought.com)
Online buyers, ages 50 and over, will account for almost one-quarter of all online retail spending by 2007. (Source: Jupiter Research)
By 2008, one-half of the population will make purchases online. (Source: Jupiter Research)
Total retail online spending in general merchandise will reach $151.3 billion by 2010, up from $75.7 billion this year. (Source: Forrester Research)
Nearly half of non-users of the Internet (48%) are interested in going online for at least one specific Internet activity, indicating significant potential growth for e-commerce. (Source: Continental Research)

No doubt the internet will continue to change our way of life. To the millions who hate to shop, can't shop, don't have time to shop, or who simply want an alternative to traditional shopping - there is finally a viable alternative, and one that's here to stay.