Genuine question to all you internet buyers...

rustyboy21

Hi All

Firstly, I am not posting this to have a pop at anyone, it is something that has been needling me for a while and I would love your genuine feedback on the reasons why you purchase, what i would call ' large size purchases' off the internet, instead of retail shops/showrooms.

I own a fireplace showroom and have experience of people coming in , asking questions and then going away to buy off the internet. Obviously there are also people who don't come in and buy off the internet too.

What I would describe as large purchases would be Fires,fridges, cookers, beds, tv's etc all of high priced value.

It just amazes me that people are willing to buy from faceless websites and wondered what are the main reasons why. I have been acive in another thread in which the fireplace website has eventually been shut down, after taking lots of people for a lot of money and not delivering any product.

The main reasons I can think of of buying off the net are as follows....

1. Price
2. ease of ordering
3. attitude of staff

Is it also the fact that you can deal with no one looking over your shoulder?

What makes you feel more comfortable doing online buying?

Don't get me wrong, I also buy off the net, but it is mainly grocery shopping, perfume,cd's etc, nothing bigger than that, personally I dont trust it and like talking to people face to face. I have also been scammed online myself recently by essencestore.com, so I know how you feel when someone has had you over.

As I have said, I am not getting on my soapbox over this, I know the internet has it's uses, but I am struggling to find the reasons why you would buy something ' big' off the net and have the chances of you being scammed and left with nothing. Or you having to do the ringing around when something goes wrong

Your help would be greatful, even if it can put me in someones position, when I have a customer in my shop who is adament they are buying off the internet.

Genuine info please, no trolls !:beer:

gazza975526570

These are my reasons in no particular order:

Its generally cheaper
I can search for the best price
I can generally get cashback
I can use codes to reduce the price
I hate sales people
i dont want to make smalltalk with staff - just see what i want and buy it

TBH in maybe another 50 years i doubt the high street will exist bar a few exceptions

mazza111

Price is biggest thing for me.
I hate when sales people jump on you as soon as you walk in a shop.
But then I hate it when you don't get asked if you want any help. Think they need to get this timing right.

martinthebandit

In no particular order;

Cost
Its much easier to compare products
Its much easier to get impartial advice
I can do it at a time thats convenient to me
I can do it while wearing my dressing gown and drinking a cup of tea
I don't have to find a parking place

hockey1

Aside from being sure I'm getting the best price I can check reviews on products and maybe upgrade or even downgrade based on reviews.

In the past few years all my big items have come via the net. Some have been delivered to store though.

I've bought on the internet:

1. cars x 2
2. washing machine
3. dishwasher
4. cooker
5. fridge freezer
6. desktop computer
7. laptops x 2

I've used the internet for research but bought in store furniture like sofas, wardrobes, new bathroom suite.

I assume you have your own website. Refer customers there and ask them to review their purchases etc. but ultimately you have to price match if you want the business.

rustyboy21

martinthebandit wrote: »

In no particular order;

Cost
Its much easier to compare products
Its much easier to get impartial advice
I can do it at a time thats convenient to me
I can do it while wearing my dressing gown and drinking a cup of tea
I don't have to find a parking place

Thanks for the info.

But do you feel safe in the transaction, if it is a large, high priced product buying it on the click of a button? I am aware that you are covered by your card, but at the end of the day the banks wont lose out money without getting it back somewhere else, like the insurance companies with your premiums. They dont get the money back from the retaier all the time, they just lose it or go into a long list of creditors when they go bust and get maybe 50p in the pound if they are lucky.

Also dont you miss out on the chance to see the product in the flesh? and not have the pain of sending it back and getting your money back. At least in a shop, they swipe your card and start the refund process there and then, not in 28 days time which seems to be the norm on the net.

Once again thanks for the info, I am not after an argument, just wanting to get a feel of customers thought processes on buying off the net, compared to a shop. Maybe if I get some ideas I can implement them in my shop to make shopping more enjoyable

rustyboy21

hockey1 wrote: »

Aside from being sure I'm getting the best price I can check reviews on products and maybe upgrade or even downgrade based on reviews.

In the past few years all my big items have come via the net. Some have been delivered to store though.

I've bought on the internet:

1. cars x 2
2. washing machine
3. dishwasher
4. cooker
5. fridge freezer
6. desktop computer
7. laptops x 2

I've used the internet for research but bought in store furniture like sofas, wardrobes, new bathroom suite.

I assume you have your own website. Refer customers there and ask them to review their purchases etc. but ultimately you have to price match if you want the business.

.

Nope, no website here, just little old me and my staff in the shop I have run for 25 years. I do ok, but you always want a bit more don't you. If something stands out on this thread I could possibly start to use it instore. I have a few mates who also run websites on top of their shops and they all say, they are the worst part of the business, with more complaints and issues. So dont want to go there

For the likes of price matching.... would you be prepared to have the same level of service from a shop as you would through a website, i.e you contacting manufacturers if things go wrong, or would you expect the shop to do your running around? If it was the shop, there would be an increase in price then as you would have to employ someone to man the cstomer services dept. Websites don't have to deal as much with this, they fob you off to the manufacturer

rustyboy21

lalaland11 wrote: »

I usually shop online as i find i can browse in my own time without pushy sales people trying to pressure you into bying.

Its easier to compare specs & prices

Also you can usually find discount codes online.

In my business, We all say hello to you when you enter, say if any help is required and stand back for you to browse, no pressure, but always there to help.

I know where you are coming from though

serious_saver

Finding the time to go out and shop is the biggest problem for me. Even if I've managed to go into a shop and look round it can sometimes be difficult to get back out to buy it. If I can find the same (or a very similar) product online then I'll buy it online because often it's quicker than waiting for a time when I know I'll be able to go out.

SnowBelle_2

I have recently and in the past bought a washing machine,complete bathroom and two weeks ago a large larder fridge and freezer.
The washing machine was purely purchased for price.
The bathroom for both price and because I had some specific requirements.
The larder fridge and freezer was purchased because we went into our local well known electrical superstore and they seemed only to be interested if we bought immediately and not had time to look around first.
Secondly I bought the pair of them because the company I bought them from( well known) offered another years guarentee for free.

Dave_C_2

Here's my little list of advantages of buying online - in order of importance.

1. It's cheaper.
2. No pushy salesmen.
3. No driving/catching buses.
4. Possible to research and compare products without asking pushy salesmen.
5. I do it in my time when I want at the speed I want.
6. No pushy salesmen trying to sell extras.
7. Product reviews on-line
8. Shop reviews on-line
9. Have I mentioned no pushy salesmen?

As for risk, compare the lack of complaints on MSE for an on-line store such as Amazon and the large number of complaints for bricks and mortar stores such as Currys and Comet.

Dave