Assignment 4: Considerations Before Purchasing a Product Online vs in-Store

Question 1:

 Desired Product and Available Alternatives

I plan to purchase an Apple mobile phone from online, and alternatives such as Nokia, Samsung, and Techno, Infix, and Sony models are alternatives mobile phones available in the market.

Critical considerations for buying product/service online vs. in-store

Nowadays, products and services can be accessed either in-store or purchased online. The method to be used in obtaining the goods will depend on the preference of the customer after considering several key factors as follow;

First, I would consider the payment method's safety buying the mobile phone online vs. in-store as a customer. A safe payment method provided by the seller of a product, either online or in-store, is a significant factor for a customer to consider before ordering the products. A safe payment method ensures customers that it is safe to share their credit card numbers with the firm's website selling the products (Rudansky-Kloppers, 2017). Beside, assuring the customers that they would get invoices and receipts of their payment is very crucial.

Second, shipping the product to the buyer is another crucial factor to consider while deciding to buy online or in-store.  In most cases, online sellers offer to deliver the product to the customers' doorsteps within a specified period. However, there is a fear of the goods being delivered to the wrong address or getting lost somewhere in transit. Also, product may arrive at the desired destination later than they are expected. Therefore, it is always essential for customers to consider the safety of the payment process before ordering the product. 

Last, I would consider the return and refund policy when deciding to buy a phone online or in-store. The online store chosen should have a good outline of how returns and refunds are handled when they fall due (Rudansky-Kloppers, 2017). A customer may make an erroneous purchase or pay for the out-of-stock product or no longer available.  Also, the store should indicate how customers are compensated in case a product is...