True cost of online bargains

THE convenience and variety that online shopping offers is hard to beat.

Townsville residents agree, being among the biggest users of the internet for shopping in the country.

A new report into online shopping, from Australia Post, has revealed demand for online shopping among Townsville residents is up 15.9 per cent over the past 12 months.

The figures reveal huge spikes in shopping for fashion ( up 29.5 per cent) and variety store goods ( up 23.4 per cent).

People can order products from across the country, or even around the world, and have them delivered to their doorstep within days.

The convenience and seemingly endless variety offered by online shopping is proving too hard to resist. However, as we report in today’s Bulletin, there is a downside at a local level.

The increase in shopping over the internet has local retailers copping the brunt of its impact.

People have only so much money to spend and if they are spending it online then they are not supporting local stores.

This makes it tougher for businesses to survive, which then impacts employment opportunities for locals.

Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Rains has asked people to consider those impacts before making their next online purchase.

And while she says it is important to help local businesses by buying locally, she also points out there is an onus on those local businesses to find ways to counter the threat of online shopping by offering outstanding service with experiences the internet cannot match.

People now need a good reason to make the effort and go to a store.

It is up to those stores to give them those reasons if they are to survive against the growing force of online competitors.