On line shopping

[cromwell]

In a couple of minutes yesterday I ordered three Christmas presents. Without leaving the sitting room.
If I had had to have gone out I would have to have driven the car, found and paid for a parking spot, walked around the shops for who knows how long without any guarantee of finding what I was after, and so on.
So there's no wonder we do shop on line.
Thing is, we shop on line because there is more choice and it's more convenient. But the more we shop on line, the more shops go bust, the less choice there is on the High Street and you end up virtually having to shop on line anyway whether you like it or not.
Thing is, if all the shops go we will essentially end up buying on spec. We won't be able to tell at all if what we are buying is the right size, well made, value for money etc.
It's a bit of a problem but that's the way we seem to be going.

[Kaz]

Crommers, I'm sitting in Corretto's at the moment, just about to have brunch, and have just spent five minutes ordering Mick's Christmas presents from Amazon. Just so easy I do use the shops regularly though, especially for clothes and food - I like to feel clothes and try them on, and pick out my own fruit, meat and fish

M's pressies are a massive Meccano set (he was reminiscing about Meccano the other day) and a book full of logic and maths problems, They would have meant a trip out to the retail park toy shops, and a trip to Waterstones. It's a no-brainer really .....

[Workingman]

Cromwell, I'm with Kaz re clothes and food, and I would add in furnishings.

I am not a brand addict and I prefer real food over industrial gloop. OTOH I do get things like batteries, ink cartridges, light bulbs, printer paper etc. on line. And there are some old favourites, Oscar and Worth aftershaves and Palmolive shave cream in a tube, that are now only available on line.

Swings and roundabouts.

[jenniren]

I tend to do a mix of online and going to the shops.

Clothes in particular are so much easier and more convenient ordered online and then collected from the store. A lot of stores these days, including M&S, don't carry all the styles/sizes in store. Saves a lot of traipsing around, not always easy these days, also allows you to try them on in your own time at home and pop them back if not suitable next time we go shopping. The other thing that bugs me is they don't provide bags, I get it for food, but clothes not so much. I recently bought a faux fur coat from M&S and would have been hard pushed to find a bag big enough. I know it's not a big thing, but it really annoys me to be asked to pay to get something like that home safely. I doubt many people carry around bags that are clean and large enough for clothes that might have to be returned. Order it online and a bag is provided as standard, a no brainer, for me anyway.

We happily have deliveries of heavy non perishable items, but I do like to pick fresh food myself and would hate to have to order things like that online.

Amazon is a huge time saver, so easy to order and they often stock things I can't find anywhere else.

[TheOstrich]

I'll buck the trend - no on line shopping whatsoever here. And that's from a couple very much in a rural hinterland.

We'd rather make a morning or a day of it and browse the shops. Certainly for clothes; can't be bothered with all the hassle of sending things back and claiming refunds.

The other conspicuous problem in this area is mis- or non-delivered parcels, one delivery company in particular (no names) has a very bad reputation over this.

[Osc]

Last week I ordered some books online for presents, they arrived within three days and it was very easy to browse and choose. I would never buy clothes online, I like to try on in the shop and feel the fabric. I occasionally buy from Amazon and eBay but not regularly. Edward has bought golf clubs online and they have always been exactly as described. I once tried a supermarket shop online but gave up halfway through, it is just as easy to walk through the supermarket so far as we are concerned!

[saundra]

I have to admit I loath supermarkets shopping well any. Shopping really after a life time of shopping for a family never had a car and carry every last item I shop mostly now one line I love it I mostly shop at Matalan and Morrison's or Iceland for food if only once ever had a problem with a food item at in Iceland I complain and got an immediate refund
I expect if I had access to a car I would go to the supermarket to get me out I have have to add taxi fare these days
But all of you have cars so it makes life easier for you all how I wish I had learnt to drive
Never mind I can buy oneline

[JanB]

I've just ordered 2 windows and 2 glass curtains

To be honest, I don't like on-line shopping (don't really like shopping either )

Have used amazon, in England, but only a couple of times.

[saundra]

Jan what are glass curtains?

[jenniren]

Jan what are glass curtains?

I was wondering about that too.