Purchasing In Store vs Purchasing Online

This entry was posted in General September 27, 2018

At Ableworld we have a strong ethical selling policy that works in hand with our honest and caring approach to selling mobility products. Across our 34 UK stores our friendly staff are happy to help you find the right product to meet your individual mobility needs. However, we feel that recently many of our customers are becoming influenced by purchasing mobility products online, often being persuaded by the price. We are aware of the limitations and benefits to purchasing in store and online, particularly in regards to the mobility aids sector. We have highlighted some important factors for our customers to consider.

Ethical Selling Policy

At Ableworld we are an ethical mobility retailer that strongly believes that before purchasing some items of mobility equipment customers should be correctly assessed and advised which product fits their needs best. This ensures both us and our customers that the correct product is chosen with the customers’ needs and health in mind, rather than just selecting the most expensive mobility aid. We believe that the wrong product sold over the internet without a proper assessment could lead to added complications for a person’s condition. Due to this we have an assessment and demonstration policy whereby there are several ranges of products which we will not sell online, these include Riser Recliner chairs, Scooters, Powerchairs and Wheelchairs. This policy differs to purchasing online, as in store we consider the customer’s needs for their own well-being, not merely just for an online order.

Interaction

In all of our Ableworld stores you will be looked after from start to finish by our friendly and well trained staff that are on hand to help with any mobility queries. Our staff will spend as much time as needed with you, and give advice when needed. When comparing to online, there is only the written text information that can be assessed, without any demonstration or advice. This can often lead to misinterpretation and customers selecting the wrong products for their needs, and making the whole process even more stressful.

In store we will provide our advice and guidance to all customers then follow with our demonstration and assessment policy. Online there is no social interaction with a real person, only computerised form filling that can be extremely repetitive and confusing. This is an aspect that we want our customers to avoid at Ableworld, as we want to ensure our customers feel comfortable and confident in their overall purchase.

Security

Often when shopping online many customers feel unsafe about the security and reliance of the order purchase being completed. There is a limitation of frequently having to pay on either a credit card or through a PayPal account online, something which some people do not own, or would prefer not to use. As you hear through the local press, some websites cannot be trusted, therefore are you happy giving your credit card details and personal data to an unknown source? In store there is always the great advantage of using cash or either credit or debit card as means of a secure payment through trusted till systems. At Ableworld we also promise that we will never sell your data onto Third parties, another security aspect that cannot be fully guaranteed online.

Returns & Exchange Process

Although the convenience of shopping online is often seemed to be greater and more accessible, it can also however become a longer and more drawn out process. The items you see online cannot be checked for the condition, and you would not know if the item you are buying is new or used. At Ableworld we only sell brand new items in our stores, unless clearly stated otherwise. Our in store returns process for purchased items is extremely straightforward as all of our stores are open either 6 or 7 days a week, and can be returned in store for free. When ordering products online there are often additional costs to return and ship goods back to the sender, and also a delayed time for the refund payment to be processed. This delay could mean weeks without a replacement mobility aid, where for some people it will be urgently needed. In our Ableworld stores a refund is generated at the time of return, or an exchange is made promptly so that the customer is not left unaided.

Price

Although it is renowned for customers shopping online because products are ‘cheaper’, this is quite often not always the option with mobility products. The price you see in store at Ableworld includes demonstration, set up and 6 months free insurance on selected items, plus of course full warranty. Online there is the query that you may have to pay additional costs for delivery, set up and insurance, on top of the displayed price for the product itself. The cost online often increases after the initial purchase has been made, and then ‘add-ons’ are suggested- some that you cannot do without.

Engineering

At Ableworld we have a large team of engineers based across the UK that are fully trained to service and repair selected products. If you have purchased your products from us in store there are preferential rates for your mobility services in the future. From stores our experienced engineers can install, repair and service a great selection of mobility aids, including wheelchairs, stairlifts and mobility scooters. When comparing to purchases online there is the question of how you will get your products serviced when there is no physical store to visit. The care and maintenance of any mobility products is important for the long term upkeep of the product, something that could easily be forgotten, or more difficult and expensive to source.

Although we are fully aware that there are limitations and advantages to purchasing both in store and online, we feel that the benefits of buying mobility aids in store comes at a longer term advantage for the customer. At Ableworld we are a company that genuinely cares about the customer’s well-being, and although we pride ourselves on not pressure selling items, we are aware that there are many companies that do this, particularly online. We want to reiterate that finding the cheapest price for a product is not always the cheapest or most suitable solution for the long term.

For additional advice or information please contact us. Furthermore to find your local store please click here.

 

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