E-commerce platforms are no less than a boon in the present-day scenario, especially when every other day, we hear about some or other variant of the COVID virus popping up. But, regular shoppers, me included, always wonder whether online shopping has any impact on the environment, whether positive or negative. If you are an environment enthusiast, you would always have wondered whether you can help the environment by shopping online as opposed to hopping from one physical store to another.
So, if you are wondering whether online shopping free shipping is environmentally sustainable, let us decode the answer to this query.
As per a study conducted on e-commerce platforms, it was found that online delivery of products uses minimum energy while producing fewer carbon emissions as compared to traditional retailing. Simply put, shopping with e-commerce websites confirmed about 30 percent lower consumption of energy & carbon emissions as compared to shopping with traditional stores.
If you happen to live in rural or suburban areas, you might need to travel a long distance in order to shop at retail stores. This is where online shopping free shipping is a credible option. When you shop online, the products you invest in are shipped straight from the nearest warehouse.
On the other hand, when you purchase your product from a retail store, the item comes from the warehouse to the store and to add to that, you travel from your house to the store and then back. This adds to the carbon footprint and the overall cost involved. So, it is better to shop with an online store with free shipping to ensure extra savings while protecting the environment.
Now, you might think that the packaging aspect of e-commerce shopping could leave a major impact on the environment. However, it doesn’t make up for the carbon footprint that comes from the transportation factor seen with offline shopping.
Packaging contributes about 22 percent of the overall carbon emissions for any product purchased online. However, customer transportation seen with offline shopping accounts for about 65 percent of the carbon emissions for the very same product acquired from a nearby retail store.
So, if you are worried about those small pieces of bubble wraps inside the cardboard box, fret not! You should worry more about the carbon footprint you leave when you hop into your car and visit the nearby store to get what you want.
The unseen prices associated with consumer transportation tend to be much higher as compared to the extra recyclable plastic or cardboard packaging. So, it is favorable to opt for online shopping with free shipping to ensure that you give back to the environment positively.
A study conducted in 2013 at MIT suggested that shopping online tends to be way more eco-friendly as compared to shopping with brick-and-mortar stores. As concluded by this study, it was revealed that shoppers that completed the complete buying process completely online tend to have a 2 times smaller carbon footprint as compared to traditional shoppers.
To add to that, physical stores also require ample upkeep and energy. Offline stores tend to produce more waste and carbon emissions as compared to the bare-boned operation seen with online stores featuring simplistic warehouses. However, this happens only when you completely opt for online shopping free shipping.
Here are some ways you can implement online shopping in your life.
1. Shop online if there isn’t urgency:
When you shop online, there is a chance that the package will be delivered after a day, two, or even weeks. Plus, if you opt for urgent delivery, you might not be making eco-friendly choices. When you opt for urgent shipping, all your efforts to reduce carbon savings will go down the drain.
Choosing fast delivery might get you the product in time but won’t be ideal for the environment. As opposed to sorting the products into their designated trucks in a cheap manner, they have to opt for the fastest options for delivery.
This suggests that there would be more delivery trucks working on the road and even air delivery options. So, unless absolutely necessary, it is important that you opt for normal online shopping free shipping services.
2. Get all products under one roof:
When shopping offline, you would have to go from one store to another if you are shopping for a lot of products. This, in turn, increases your carbon footprint, and you would also have to invest a lot of time and money in offline shopping.
With an online store with free shipping, you get to shop for all your products on one platform. This helps with a massive reduction of the carbon footprint and hence makes you an environment-friendly individual.
3. Live Support:
The best thing about shopping online is the fact that you get access to live support. The live chat feature ensures that customers can seek answers to questions related to products or services at the online shop. A great live support feature ensures that your shopping experience becomes glitch-free and just as smooth as you would have it offline.
A credible live support option can help you trust the services or products provided by an online shopping free shipping platform while motivating you to make eco-friendly choices.
Whenever you decide to shop online as opposed to offline, you move one step ahead and achieve eco-friendliness in your decisions. Online shopping isn’t just eco-friendly but also cost-effective, faster, and convenient, especially if you are too busy taking care of your daily duties. Online platforms don’t bind you by time. You can shop anytime, whether it is day or night. So, the next time you think of a product you need, make sure you check your favorite platform to shop online.
Are you looking for platforms that provide free shipping every time you shop? At Catolox, you can do just that! You can purchase everything from accessories to consumer electronics and even your favorite clothing item at discounted pricing and with free shipping options. To know more about our services and products, you can get in touch with us at +1-651-354-4844 or write to us at support@catolox.com.
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