Online shopping is a fast growing form of e commerce. It involves buying from the seller on the internet without the need of a 3rd party - the intermediary service. An eshop, e-store, web store etc. a few of the words used to describe sites that sell products.
Even though official site has evolved at the very fast pace during the last couple of years, it still has a good way to go. Especially because internet continues to be not available through the developing world. Accessing internet isn't easy in a lot of developing countries - and also where it can be, people would rather use it for emails and general stuff.
Also, shopping on the web is still viewed with suspicion with a large group of the population. Most of the people want to know exactly what they're buying. They want to hold it within their hands, or feel it or see how big it really is (in case, say, of the teddy bear) of course, if it is often a matter of clothes - people choose to wear and look and the size and find out how it looks - all of this is not possible online. Customers also love to haggle, try and make the vendor pull around the rates.
But that doesn't mean all is lost. A growing group pf people prefer online shopping to real life shopping. Those are generally people who are hard pressed for time. It makes a lot more sense in their mind to click in a website and order flowers for the forgotten anniversary at lunch time in the office than rush on the shops after work if this might be too late. Youngsters too, like to see various options online - a great deal of which might not be available in their city. For example, online book stores usually are well-stocked compared to best of libraries or booksellers in the small cities. Such, among others are part of a ever-growing population of people that spend more time clicking away online then bag-hauling offline. Of course, people still won't buy groceries online, but shopping on the web has learnt to outpace its baby steps and is fast striding towards a brighter future.