There is no doubt a growing momentum these days towards buying more and more things online. I mean, there are some definite advantages to buying products such as digital cameras online. There is an obvious greater selection in models to choose from. If you wanted to buy a Nikon model XYZ in flashing pink, with polka dot stripes, and a 10.3 digital zoom, with matching purple lens cap, then you could probably find one. Good luck, trying to find that camera in your local camera store at the mall. They just don't have the room to carry that kind of inventory. The online camera shops however can.

Online shopping also has a distinct advantage when it comes to price. They don't have to maintain an expensive bricks and mortar store. They don't have to pay some pimply faced teenager a salary or commission to sit around the store all day, even when there's no customers in site. It's just plain more expensive to sell digital cameras in person, then through an online store. Plus there's tons of unbiased information available for the consumer to read (like this wonderful article) before making their purchase. That's definitely something your not going to find in a traditional retail camera shop.

No, that's not to say that buying online is without it's caveats as well. First of all, there that all annoying additional cost of shipping. Consumers hate having an extra $10, $20 or $50 added to their bill just before checking out. You would think, that without the websites save on overhead, then shipping should be included. Right? Well I agree. And so do many of the bigger more reputable websites. Quite often, sites like Amazon will include free shipping on their cameras. Especially around Christmas time. Just make sure, you pick the right camera the first time. Otherwise you may end up returning it, in which case the shipping will come out of your pocket.

Of course, if you were returning a camera to your local mall, then your going to end up spending money on gas, and taking time out of your schedule to drive, park, and explain to some sales clerk why the camera you bought just doesn't work for you. All in all, the added convenience of online shopping just makes more sense. In the future, I'm sure it will send shopping malls the way of the dinosaur.