Online or In-Store?

[Ian]

There always seem to be parcels left near the letterboxes in our apartment (our postie leaves them there for the ~20 residents in our block, unless they need to be signed for). Each day I see Amazon parcels there!

Anyway, I was wondering if most people on here would order a Book/DVD/CD/Game online rather than going and picking it up from the highstreet?

If I'm after one of those things, I'll usually nip on to Amazon/Play and order it there and then, as it's free delivery and almost always cheaper. Plus, no need to go shopping!

Unless I happen to be in town or need to get something very bulky, I'll order it online 90% of the time.

 

[nivrip]

I hate shopping so will always go for the online option if possible.

A couple of times recently I've ordered rather large items online with large postal charges but I've got round this by arranging to collect them at a local store, which is, of course, free of charge. Even though this means I have to go to the store I'm usually in and out very quickly.

 

[floppybootstomp]

All depends on price and availability.

I'd prefer to buy from GAME or Gamestore in the high street but Amazon or Play.com are usually cheaper by at least a fiver when it comes to games.

And apart from their special offers Steam seem to be the most expensive of all for games.

I buy new vinyl records online, Amazon are very good here and their packaging is excellent.

I just bought a washing machine online, couldn't have got that cheaper instore.

Summary: Prefer to purchase from 'high street' store but online usually cheaper so that's where my pennies go.

 

[PotGuy]

I try to purchase from shops I want to stay open.

It annoys me when people whinge about high streets being empty when they never get off their ar5e and go into town to buy anything.

For example I always buy my guitar things from my local guitar shop. It might be a few quid more expensive, and it might involve a taxi fare to get back, but I don't mind. I would rather contribute to a shop I want to keep open that offers me personal advice and quick, easy returns and repairs than having to worry about shipping things off to a faceless company.

 

[bootneck02]

Most of my on line purchases have been for CD's (I know what want), IT kit (know what I want), cooker, washing machine, fridge, furniture & TV's I research in the shops and if cheaper on line then I purchased from on line merchants, Come to think of it all items the have been purchased on line

 

[Taffycat]

Online gets our vote. I'd say that a good 90% of our purchases are made online, not just in the entertainment category, but supermarket groceries, kitchen appliances (large and small) and all sorts of other stuff too.

Not only is it convenient, to have stuff delivered to the door, it avoids the hassle of trying to find somewhere to park. In fact, IMHO in some areas, parking issues are probably one of the biggest enemies of high street shops/businesses.

In our local town, we have often circled around its one-way system, three or four times, (sitting in traffic hold-ups and waiting in queues at traffic lights...) but STILL not found anywhere to park. (Most side streets are resident-permit-holders only - the areas which aren't, are bumper-to-bumper parked vehicles. It's a bit too far to walk from home and we are quite some distance from a bus stop.)

We enjoy having a look around in a "real" store, but mostly, tend to use out-of-town shopping areas, where parking is good and, all stores are easily accessible. Visits to real shops are definitely treated as a bit of a "treat" these days.

Another big plus, is that online items usually have lots of info about them, which is readily available; unlike in (some) high street stores.... unless one is fortunate enough to find a sales assistant who is really on-the-ball, of course.

 

[V_R]

Depends what it is, but i'd say 90% of hte time if i can get it online, i do.

That advantage of being able to get stuff delivered to work helps no end. Amazon Prime member here too, well worth it.

 

[Anon_F]

The last 6 dvd's/books i have bought were on-line as they were cheaper.
But still like leafying through a good book in waterstones.
Or finding a bargin in the high street.

And agree on what TC says.
Once you had parking & (may be a coffee it soon adds up!)

 

[Quadophile]

I have been buying on-line for over a decade and therefore I can safely say that these days most of my purchases (almost 90%) are on-line. My favourite places is and will always be Amazon as this was the very first on-line store I bought from. I also favour a few others like B&H Photo and J&R. I have even bought a few expensive items online like rose gold and diamond watch, Sennheiser Headphones, IBM Laptop, Digital Cameras etc.

Things that I found to be expensive on-line was underwear, and clothing in general which I buy in the stores on the high street.

 

[historian]

I agree with everyone.We do online shopping,and it`s mainly from Amazon who we find wonderful. We have,of late,bought three TVs,one 26" and two 19" sets. Among other things, all of them were delivered on time or before time. Have tried Sainsbury`s for food stuff but we are not impressed with them,only used them twice.
historian

 

[floppybootstomp]

Yesterday I ordered a hard disk and a few other small items from Scan for delivery today.

All was good, e-mails and texts received, 'delivery between 12:35 & 13:25.

Great.

At 13:00 I look over patio and see large white van pulled up outside flats' entrance, I wait for intercom/door entry system to sound.

After five minutes, it doesn't, I look over patio, van has gone. Check e-mail, Scan have e-mailed me telling me I wasn't home. Me angry.

Turns out our communal intercom system had broken down, it was locked onto flat 8, was actually being repaired when Scan courier (DPD) had pulled up.

I had to make several phone calls, all 08 numbers, to find out what had happened and determine delivery will now take place tomorrow and that the courier now have my mobile number in case intercom doesn't work again.

08 numbers cost me money. I hate, really hate, 08 numbers. And it seems to me all 08 numbers I'm forced into phoning seem to draw the call out as long as possible. Normal landline numbers and other mobile network numbers do not cost me money under my monthly paid-for plan.

And I guess it's like that for most people.

To be honest. it would have been a lot less hassle and almost the same price, to have driven down PC World and bought a similar hard disk.

And that is why I favour real stores for purchases and don't like online shopping.

 

[EvanDavis]

I had to make several phone calls, all 08 numbers, to find out what had happened and determine delivery will now take place tomorrow and that the courier now have my mobile number in case intercom doesn't work again.

08 numbers cost me money. I hate, really hate, 08 numbers. And it seems to me all 08 numbers I'm forced into phoning seem to draw the call out as long as possible. Normal landline numbers and other mobile network numbers do not cost me money under my monthly paid-for plan.

Scan: 01204 474747

Saynoto0870

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks for the reminder ED.

Disk (and Nero 10 OEM @ £2.45) arrived this morning at 08:15, driver phoned me on my mobile and I went to the front communal door to take delivery of goods. Friendly driver, nice geezer.

Scan use a courier service named DPD who in my experience are the best courier company I've ever dealt with.

 

[PotGuy]

Thanks for the reminder ED.

Disk (and Nero 10 OEM @ £2.45) arrived this morning at 08:15, driver phoned me on my mobile and I went to the front communal door to take delivery of goods. Friendly driver, nice geezer.

Scan use a courier service named DPD who in my experience are the best courier company I've ever dealt with.

Vouch for that, I've sent and received with them and they are cheap and reliable.

 

[Me__2001]

A lot of the stuff i buy is generally not available on the high street or its much more expensive so i tend to buy things online. I buy mostly clothes in the shops so i know what i am getting but even then i have ordered some online as i've found it cheaper or the shops are too far away to make the journey worthwhile

As flopps said, the only issue with ordering is the delivery. Lately i've been quite lucky, seem to be getting the same drivers so they all recognise me

 

[crazylegs]

I prefer walking round the shops and buying things for real that I can see and touch, but I also often buy online from secure retailers that I trust Amazon, Play, MyMemory etc

Will pay a little more to a real shop simply because they have overheads such as ground rent, insurance, staff, and I still want them to be in business the next time I visit..

 

[Quadophile]

I just discovered that my new phone is capable of being used as a bar code scanner, so I downloaded the app and when in store tried it and searched for the lowest price, it worked. I can now check price while in store and know how much the difference is.