The continued appeal of online shopping 网上购物热潮继续增温_BBC

The continued appeal of online shopping 网上购物热潮继续增温

随身英语 The continued appeal of online shopping 网上购物热潮继续增温

自1994年以来，网上购物已经慢慢地侵蚀了“传统”的高街零售体验。现在，许多人更愿意在网上购物。但这是为什么呢？为什么时至今日，网上购物“门庭若市，熙来攘往”，而传统商店却无人问津？本集《随身英语》讨论不断增温的网上购物热潮。

Vocabulary: shopping 词汇: 购物

The first thing sold online was a CD. It sold in 1994 for $12.48. In 1995, Amazon launched its online bookshop, and later that year the online auction site that would become eBay sold its first item. Fast-forward to the modern day and online shopping is huge business. In contrast to the recent UK announcements that many high-profile retail chains and department stores need to close retail outlets to save money, online shopping is thriving. In fact, the UK Office for National Statistics reported that growth in online sales has continued "year-on-year" and stands at just under 20% in April 2018. But why?

Maybe it's the convenience. Online shopping allows you to find what you need from the comfort of your own home. Then there's the variety. The discerning shopper is able to select from a wide range of products from all over the world – whereas physical shops suffer from a more limited choice. Better yet, with more sophisticated search parameters available, consumers are now better able to specify exactly what they want, and in some cases, even modify products to create bespoke items.