Each person is different and has their own unique preferences. However, a growing number of shoppers have increasingly expressed a preference toward making purchases online. Why is that? Here are three top reasons:

1. Price

Cost has long been held as one of the most common factors for driving online purchases. It is no secret that running an online store costs less money – fewer employees and no physical space are just a couple reasons why – which means merchants can pass the savings on to customers.

One report from Nextopia, which analyzed the cost of goods across online and offline channels at popular merchants, found significant disparities. For instance, the source discovered that a jacket that cost $69.99 online at Macy’s was available for $112 in-store – a huge gap. While shipping may add extra expenses, in some cases, shopping online may pay off big.

2. Convenience

People are busy and the last thing many adults want to do at the end of their day is find time to head to the local mall or store to pick up an item they need. Online is infinitely more convenient, allowing people to shop from their phones and computers no matter where they are. Of course, shoppers also have a tremendous number of options in terms of choosing delivery time, shipping options and routing to ensure they get their purchases when they want and how they want.

Moreover, with more retailers making huge improvements to order fulfillment operations, people no longer have to wait five or more business days to receive their purchase. Many merchants will even offer free two-day shipping to preferred customers. Unless people need a certain item immediately, then it may just be easier to make the purchase online and skip the hassle of heading to nearby stores and trying to squeeze time for brick-and-mortar visits into the schedule.

3. Better selection

While having a physical store costs retailers money, it also brings with it a physical limitation as well – merchants only have so much room to store stock on premise. Online merchants can offer a near infinite number of product SKUs, particularly if they leverage drop shipping, which means customers have a better selection of goods to purchase from.

While brick-and-mortar will be the pillar for the shopping experience for years to come, it is crucial retailers offer customers a satisfactory online experience as well.