Shopping online or in a brick and mortar?

[Overmind One]

Well, it has finally happened. With the exception of food groceries, EVERYTHING that I shop for is cheaper online, including shipping directly to my front door. I just recently placed my first order for Blue Wilderness dry and wet cat food that I usually buy at Petsmart for almost $10.00 more. At Chewy.com, I can buy the same exact product, have it shipped directly to my door in about two days and pay $10.00 less. Otherwise, I have to get in my car, drive to Petsmart and burn gas and wait in line. That is, IF they have the product I want. Online, you know what is in stock or not.

We all saw it coming, but how many of you have made the move to mostly online shopping? If I had to give myself a split rating, mine would be:

80% online / 20% brick and mortar

This does not include obvious stuff you do not do online like buying gas or produce. Some of you may have heard of Amazon Fresh. I tried it, but I did not like it because the cost is too much over the convenience. Otherwise, clothing, tools, electronics, parts, supplies, music, software, books...all of it I buy online.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I still enjoy the occasional experience of the shopping mall. Clothes, for example, not so easy to buy online. I don't mind watching my wife try on things before she buys them, especially at Victoria's Secret. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, hit the mall for some clothes shopping, a bite at the food court then maybe a movie. Some things you can't give up to the online experience.

 

[Overmind One]

I still enjoy the occasional experience of the shopping mall. Clothes, for example, not so easy to buy online. I don't mind watching my wife try on things before she buys them, especially at Victoria's Secret. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, hit the mall for some clothes shopping, a bite at the food court then maybe a movie. Some things you can't give up to the online experience.

Well, a guy like you needs to get specially fitting stuff you cant get online. My body is more "off the rack" medium sized. If you buy things like parts for computers, or tools or replacement stuff for your car or appliances, shoes, underwear, socks...online is still king. I agree about the mall experience, but here in CA the malls have become desperate with sales techniques, and it feels like a Tel Aviv bazaar. Sales people come out of the stores and try and entice people to come in. If you go in on your own, they descend upon you quickly to assist you with your (assumed) purchase. Very stressful. I thought only auto lots did that.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Well, a guy like you needs to get specially fitting stuff you cant get online. My body is more "off the rack" medium sized. If you buy things like parts for computers, or tools or replacement stuff for your car or appliances, shoes, underwear, socks...online is still king. I agree about the mall experience, but here in CA the malls have become desperate with sales techniques, and it feels like a Tel Aviv bazaar. Sales people come out of the stores and try and entice people to come in. If you go in on your own, they descend upon you quickly to assist you with your (assumed) purchase. Very stressful. I thought only auto lots did that.

The malls in south Florida haven't descended to that level yet.

 

[Joelist]

It depends on what I am shopping for.

For PC stuff I have a Microsoft Store fairly close by, which is useful for a lot of hardware needs and indeed even for software needs (you can bring in a PC and they will for free reimage it with the latest Windows with proper drivers and such).

Clothing I generally use Target except for gymwear, where I actually get it cheapest at Dick's Sporting Goods.

Online I use more for specialty items.

 

[Rac80]

I am probably 70 -30. Naturally most of my grocery shopping is in person - except for the occasional "gourmet" item I can't find locally (like maple syrup made in my home town by old friends! )

I do a lot of clothes shopping in person too - but often I will go to a store to try something on, then I know what brand and size to order online. I always buy shoes in person- just to be safe.

Small appliances, computers, things like vacuum cleaner bags (I have a kirby) , etc...I tend to order online.

I always have to order online for anything we get from the LDS church (snookie is getting a greek set of scriptures for her b-day - yep my geeky daughter is learning greek these days) since there is no LDS distribution center here. Its always funny when friends (or us) head to Utah - we always bring back things for others- certain brands of foods, LDS books from the bookstores there, and BYU memoribilia.

For books- to be honest nothing beats an actual free standing bookstore...oh the smell of a new book. but I admit I love both amazon and ebay.

So, overall I still do more in-person shopping - it's a female "thing" I know- snookie & I can browse for hours, MR Rac falls asleep waiting for us!

 

[ecgordon]

I'd say I'm still about 50-50. Books are almost always online, and though I haven't been buying many DVD/Blu-Rays over the past year, they would normally be online as well, unless my local Best Buy is offering something at a lower price. For instance, depending on what Amazon has on their sale tomorrow for Ex_Machina, I may order it from them, but BB currently has it listed for less. Even when I buy something online from BB, I usually pick it up at the store.

Otherwise, I do research online, but buy locally whenever possible. I have simple tastes, so the grocery store less than a mile from me is sufficient for my needs. I don't have pets, kids or a spouse to buy things for, and I've cut my expenses to the bone the past few years since I am not working now.

 

[Overmind One]

I'd say I'm still about 50-50. Books are almost always online, and though I haven't been buying many DVD/Blu-Rays over the past year, they would normally be online as well, unless my local Best Buy is offering something at a lower price. For instance, depending on what Amazon has on their sale tomorrow for Ex_Machina, I may order it from them, but BB currently has it listed for less. Even when I buy something online from BB, I usually pick it up at the store.

Otherwise, I do research online, but buy locally whenever possible. I have simple tastes, so the grocery store less than a mile from me is sufficient for my needs. I don't have pets, kids or a spouse to buy things for, and I've cut my expenses to the bone the past few years since I am not working now.

Best Buy is my favorite brick and mortar store. Admittedly, now I use them simply to examine the products I will eventually buy online. I take pictures of them or grab the barcode, then go home and order online. Same with clothing, although sometimes I will pick up undershirts or underwear and socks at Ross or Target. The grocery store seems to be where most shoppers only do that in person (myself included). I was doing Smart and Final for that but their quality has dropped as far as fresh meats and produce, so I am buying produce at farmers markets, and getting my meat from the butcher at Haggen (was Albertsons).

Like you, I do not have a spouse or kids to buy things for, but I do have my three cats and they are cheap to keep. I spent $65.00 for 24 5.5oz cans of Blue Wilderness grain free cat food, plus the dry Blue Wilderness grain free dry cat food and that will feed all three cats for a month. One can feeds all three cats. The dry food goes a month and a half. I buy litter at Big Lots and I get 20lbs for $7.00. Now, I will buy litter only from Big Lots and cut out Petsmart completely.

 

[shavedape]

I buy all my vitamins/supplements online now. Brick and mortar stores can't compete (Vitamin Shoppe is a joke). I also buy cookware and computer/tech stuff almost exclusively online now. And the last time I was in Best Buy was to pick something up for a friend that he asked me to get for him. Otherwise I don't think I would have much need to go into one.

As for shopping malls, having worked in one for over a decade I have no desire to shop at them now. In fact I hadn't been to a mall in several years but had to break my streak when I went to see Jurassic World the other week. But that only included walking through the mall, not actually shopping in the stores.

 

[Overmind One]

I buy all my vitamins/supplements online now. Brick and mortar stores can't compete (Vitamin Shoppe is a joke). I also buy cookware and computer/tech stuff almost exclusively online now. And the last time I was in Best Buy was to pick something up for a friend that he asked me to get for him. Otherwise I don't think I would have much need to go into one.

I get my vitamins at CVS because they frequently have 2 for 1 sales on the ones I buy. I take 9 supplements per day, so that is a money saver. Plus, you can get the generic CVS version. Online, the brands can vary widely, even though the product is the same. Best Buy acts as a showroom for me, and then while I am actually in the store I can compare the prices and Amazon or Overstock always beat them.

As for shopping malls, having worked in one for over a decade I have no desire to shop at them now. In fact I hadn't been to a mall in several years but had to break my streak when I went to see Jurassic World the other week. But that only included walking through the mall, not actually shopping in the stores.

Did your malls go under at all? More than half the huge malls in Southern California failed. Even the biggest one, Del Amo Fashion Plaza died, and right now they are rebuilding parts of it. The big anchor stores would leave, then the rest of the mall would suffer. The remaining stores felt like refugees, and became aggressive and annoying.

For movies, many of the movie multiplexes are standalone complexes like AMC Theaters in Torrance where I usually go. The ones attached to malls like Rolling Hills Plaza have their own entrances directly from outside, so you never have to walk through the mall.

 

[Gatefan1976]

The only Brick and Mortar stores I buy things off are when I get DVD's, and that I have no loyalty to, just whomever is offering the cheapest price at the time, and when I go to gaming stores which I almost -always- buy in store with the full knowledge I am being gouged horribly by the stores. The only reason I do that however is because they provide a place to play, and a way to meet new people with similar hobbies. It's a tangential benefit I am happy to pay what amount to a surcharge for because "real world" gaming has taken massive hits from the online gaming aspect.

 

[Overmind One]

The only Brick and Mortar stores I buy things off are when I get DVD's, and that I have no loyalty to, just whomever is offering the cheapest price at the time, and when I go to gaming stores which I almost -always- buy in store with the full knowledge I am being gouged horribly by the stores. The only reason I do that however is because they provide a place to play, and a way to meet new people with similar hobbies. It's a tangential benefit I am happy to pay what amount to a surcharge for because "real world" gaming has taken massive hits from the online gaming aspect.

EXCELLENT point. That was the main reason I used to visit Starbucks. I would meet geeks there, and much of the newest tech you hear about comes from the developers, and developers love Starbucks. Nevermind that you can make better coffee at home and buy a pound of whole beans for the same price as a single drink at Starbucks.

However, outside of the hobbyshops and game stores, the social aspect in the US businesses have become just another advertising channel. The Brick and Mortar stores think that "having an app" is going to make their stores more appealing. Why would I want a text message telling me what is on sale today?

 

[Gatefan1976]

Oh, I think that is kinda useful if you go for the whole "connected experience" kinda deal OM, I would not mind knowing if my local shop has 20% off for a day if I were close to it. I may not go in, but I would like to know about it. Most of what -I- buy is very deliberate, and knowing I can get if from my local is good.

I know you loathe advertising, but as long as you see it "in it's space", I really don't mind it. Good time to take a leak, or check the weather, or whatever and just consider it a 5 minute break.

 

[Quetesh]

I have a few lives to this:

In USA, I lived for shopping online, food was mortar all the time. Anything else was online unless I wanted an "experience" of shopping, and then I would go out for it. My shopping experience would include a meal , be with somebody else along and maybe drinks, and mostly was at Christmas or some other special occasion coming up.


In NL, I loved shopping online for all my cool stuff except clothes and shoes. I had no choice for food to go to stores, since Amazon UK is nowhere as good as Amazon for that, and Amazon DE is worse. Amazon NL just does books so far. I would go to stores for clothes and shoes when needed but I did splurge for some cool whiskys not in NL through Amazon a bit.

In Croatia, it was all mortar, I would be uncertain as to how to even use Amazon there, and LL told me it might never come due to poor mail service there. They have cheap fair buses you can use to get supermarkets and malls so everyone does old school and goes out to shop.


In UK, I do some shopping online. Amazon UK has gotten a bit better and shipping cost are similar since shipping to NI is still international shipping. Tesco delivers here for 3 pounds so shopping online for food is better, I feel you have more choices on food online, so different from my local Walmarts in USA, unless you hit Super Tesco but taxis ride for a big shopping trip to that is 5 pounds each way, so cheaper online too. There is not as much selection in NI for anything. They built a LIDL in city center recently but again a 10 pound ride back and forth. I would do more mortal shopping if I had a car. Overall mainly you shop at small local vendors you can walk to.

Who knows how the next country will be, but having a car, even in a city, makes a big difference to how you shop. Whoever thought you could miss Walmart so much? I also have to watch the whole "plugs" thing and I had no idea but keyboards are different. I would kill to shop on USA Amazon but the shipping is insane. . For now I am stuck with Amazon UK. I miss my oodles of noodles, can't find them here. So I go crazy and buy from USA Amazon for about 3 dollars, and it costs me about 30 total to get here. No joke. Oodles of Noodles are a big splurge.

 

[Overmind One]

I have a few lives to this:

In USA, I lived for shopping online, food was mortar all the time. Anything else was online unless I wanted an "experience" of shopping, and then I would go out for it. My shopping experience would include a meal , be with somebody else along and maybe drinks, and mostly was at Christmas or some other special occasion coming up.


In NL, I loved shopping online for all my cool stuff except clothes and shoes. I had no choice for food to go to stores, since Amazon UK is nowhere as good as Amazon for that, and Amazon DE is worse. Amazon NL just does books so far. I would go to stores for clothes and shoes when needed but I did splurge for some cool whiskys not in NL through Amazon a bit.

In Croatia, it was all mortar, I would be uncertain as to how to even use Amazon there, and LL told me it might never come due to poor mail service there. They have cheap fair buses you can use to get supermarkets and malls so everyone does old school and goes out to shop.


In UK, I do some shopping online. Amazon UK has gotten a bit better and shipping cost are similar since shipping to NI is still international shipping. Tesco delivers here for 3 pounds so shopping online for food is better, I feel you have more choices on food online, so different from my local Walmarts in USA, unless you hit Super Tesco but taxis ride for a big shopping trip to that is 5 pounds each way, so cheaper online too. There is not as much selection in NI for anything. They built a LIDL in city center recently but again a 10 pound ride back and forth. I would do more mortal shopping if I had a car. Overall mainly you shop at small local vendors you can walk to.

Who knows how the next country will be, but having a car, even in a city, makes a big difference to how you shop. Whoever thought you could miss Walmart so much? I also have to watch the whole "plugs" thing and I had no idea but keyboards are different. I would kill to shop on USA Amazon but the shipping is insane. . For now I am stuck with Amazon UK. I miss my oodles of noodles, can't find them here. So I go crazy and buy from USA Amazon for about 3 dollars, and it costs me about 30 total to get here. No joke. Oodles of Noodles are a big splurge.

Oodles of Noodles = Top Ramen? I love them too, to add to soups.

 

[shavedape]

Oodles of Noodles = Top Ramen? I love them too, to add to soups.

Carbs!

 

[Quetesh]

Tasty carbs.