Bed. The comfiest, warmest and most inviting place to be. A place where most people never want to leave or avoid leaving until absolutely necessary. It has become a norm over the years to complete many tasks in the comfort of one’s bed. One of those tasks is perhaps the most dreaded and stressful of all: shopping.

Although many people may enjoy the idea of a shopping spree, many others fear it. The idea of enduring long lines, crowded stores and the overall chaos of finding the best deals drives people away from even going to local shopping malls.

Online shopping has become popular for shoppers due to its convenience, accessibility and time-saving qualities. In addition to being able to stay in the comfort of one’s home, technology is continuously advancing. With the constant advancements, it has made more stores accessible online with faster delivery.

Since shopping malls have developed a negative connotation over the past few years, there has been an abundance of malls that have shut down across the country. According to Business Insider, 6,400 stores closed in 2017 throughout the U.S. With that significant number in mind, it is predicted that 20 to 25 percent of malls will shut down over the next few years.

It is slightly depressing that yet another thing in today’s world is overtaken by the means of technology and that there is a serious threat to the existence of malls period. Without malls, America would be losing more than just a few department stores.

If malls are ultimately taken over by the usage of online shopping, there will be collateral damage along with their extinction. For example, there would be an intense decline in the amount of job opportunities if malls no longer exist. With the disappearance of malls comes the disappearance of all of the job openings that are available within them. With the unemployment rate in America already posing a serious issue nationwide, the disappearance of malls would add to this crisis.

Along with the lack of job opportunities, without malls, last-minute shopping is made nearly impossible. Even though one can overnight ship most items found online, same-day shipping is very expensive and not available with all stores online. Malls are necessary for those last-minute shopping crises.

If malls across America continue to shut down under the defeat of online shopping, it would also diminish the excitement behind strolling through department stores. Simple things in life can be some of the most exciting, even an event like holiday shopping with friends and family. There is a sense of unnoticed nostalgia attached to malls which would be ultimately diminished.

Although it may be hard to see now since malls still exist, malls would be greatly missed if they were completely replaced by technology. Technology has undoubtedly advanced the world in many ways, but with technology overtaking physical places and simple tasks, it slowly begins to take away some fun activities in life.