shutterstock.com (boxes); Debate photos courtesy of families

Should You Shop Online?

November 30, 2020

Holiday shopping season is here, and for millions of Americans, that means buying gifts online. Many people love the convenience of ordering just about any product—books, clothes, video games, even cars—without having to leave their homes. These days, people are relying on online retailers like Amazon more than ever for groceries and other essential items. In a recent survey, about three-quarters of people reported shopping online more now than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic.

But many people point out that online shopping has some big downsides. Even before Covid-19, many traditional stores were struggling to survive, as they lost customers to online sites. In 2019, more than 77,000 retail jobs in the U.S. disappeared, mainly because stores were closed.

Online shopping can also hurt the environment. About 3 million tons of cardboard boxes ends up in the trash each year. A lot of it was used to ship packages that people had ordered online.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

Shopping online makes our lives easier and saves time and money. Anyone with the internet and a smart device can easily compare products on different sites from around the world. They can find the best prices and then have the items delivered directly to their home.

That’s not only more convenient than having to drive to a crowded store. It’s also a lot safer. Online shopping is a type of social distancing. It can prevent us from catching or spreading Covid-19 and other contagious diseases.

Online shopping is convenient but at what cost? Sites like Amazon are hurting small community stores and big retail chains. For example, Toys “R” Us and Kmart have closed nearly all their stores.

Also, shopping online can lead to theft. In a survey last year, 36 percent of Americans said they’ve had a package stolen from outside their homes. Online shoppers can also become victims of identity theft. Millions of Americans have had their personal information stolen by hackers.