When it comes to the crunch present-buying week before Christmas, where do you head: Oxford Street, or online?
Every year, shopping websites proclaim their growth: they're taking an ever-increasing slice of the pie when it comes to our Christmas spend. This year, with the rise of handheld devices, many are expecting the winter shopping season to be the biggest yet in terms of online market share.
Even so, we still see a growing number of visitors choosing a serviced apartment in central London to act as their base for a shopping and leisure visit.
What's your retail solution of choice?
Online Christmas shopping: pros and cons
The trump card that online shopping offers is the ease of comparison, particularly on prices. It simply saves the 'leg miles' if you're out hunting for a bargain: count the 'mouse miles' instead.
There are a few disadvantages, however, including:
- Delivery costs that you sometimes can't see until you go to 'check out';
- The need to create accounts and remember passwords
- Getting your purchases delivered, if you work during the day
The latter is particularly poignant if you've seen the queues at 7am outside a Royal Mail sorting office on Christmas Eve!
London shopping: pros and cons
There's a variety in London's streets that comes close to matching the sheer range of retail websites, and it all comes with the opportunity to touch, see and sample the wares on offer.
Also, it's worth remembering that not every item on sale in shops has an equivalent online. If you're looking for a unique and handmade gift, that shop that sells its own wares may be the only place such items can be found!
Besides, any comparison of the two retail mechanisms overlooks one vital aspect in which real-life shopping will always come up as the winner: the social aspect. Of the people heading to Oxford Street this winter, many of them are in groups or pairs, and you just can't replace the excitement of a shopping trip with a friend—especially if it's combined with a coffee or lunch.
Why not mix the two: online and Oxford Street?
If you're inclined to shop in the city but like the freedom of online, you could join the growing trend of smartphone users who compare prices on the move, while still enjoying the 'retail therapy' experience of the boutiques and department stores.
And if you're swooping in to London to do it, take a look at the range of serviced apartment accommodation that SACO has to offer.
