One of the most overlooked benefits to the information highway is appreciated and used regularly by the likes of students across the country as well as here in Tennessee.

How better to appeal to the mass of overstressed and under-appreciated college students than to have retailers update their Web sites and offer better products for the technologically minded in order to ensure that money is being spent while surfing the Web instead of in the traditional venues of years gone by. This online shopping craze isn’t just limited to the cheapest college textbooks or school requirements because many retailers are recognizing the sheer potential behind all of the disposable income burning holes in the frayed jeans of college students.

The stores that once catered to the rich, older and Bourgeoisie are now redeveloping and refocusing their sites to cater to the fashions and trends that are indicative of the youth holding the reins of the technological forefronts. For example, Bed, Bath & Beyond offers products that make the housewife or grillmaster happy as they are spending $80 on a stainless-steel dish drainer, which is a reasonable expense to maintain a happy household, while the students may spend $80 on a art-deco French-style memory board to hang in their drab and colorless dorm rooms. The reason this may seem more appealing is because the sites offer photos in varying degrees of intensity, much like what you would expect whenever you are holding the object in your hand while listening to elevator music and avoiding the incessant stares of the sales staff.

Traditional stores are revamping old, boring and technologically-inferior Web sites to appeal to the easily spent dollars that are lining youthful pockets across the country. Overstock.com and eBay are becoming the essential sites to purchase hot-ticket items, such as PDA’s and wireless keyboards, at relatively inexpensive prices in comparison to the well-established and parent-friendly stores like Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Beyond the fact that shopping can be done in socially unacceptable or reprehensible attire, the convenience of having items shipped to anywhere is most appealing to anyone wishing to avoid the wait in a line that never seems to end.

However, the downside to this seemingly convenient method of purchasing your friend’s birthday gifts a year in advance is the unfortunate rise in shipping costs, which can be attributed to the rising price of oil. Sites may boast cheaper and better products at the click of your mouse but after adding in the prices of taxes and shipping, the price may be comparable to the prices at the regular store fronts. That being said, it comes down to personal preference on whether you choose to have the convenience of shipping straight to your home with no worry about the stinky, holy socks on your feet or whether the personal interaction with the employees as well as the public are integral to your shopping experience.

Shopping online is seen by different perspectives according to the individual’s experience from previous ventures into the e-commerce realm. Just like students refrain from choosing classes without first referencing Ratemyprofessor.com or from friends, there is a significant need for buyer/seller feedback.

The opinion of other previous shoppers is an important gauge on how to ensure that your online shopping experience is a somewhat pleasurable one. If there is a possibility that students may have been burned by online retailers, there will be plenty of venues for their opinions to be heeded by the general public. Any doubts on whether to buy, go with the way of caution and wait until you find someone more reputable or trustworthy.