What is the/your etiquette on buy in store vs online

quartzz

wurley said:

Every time. While in store. I'll buy if they're competitive. 

Yep....that's the million dollar question -- would you buy online (after walking into a shop and not buying) if instore was £300 and online was £250? (having done the required physical check of....do I like the buttons....does it beep...is there an annoying moving symbol onscreen which says "mute"......etc?)

ouraggie

I was in the market for a stick hoover. I shortlisted two ideal-sounding options online, then went to “view” them in my local branch of a national chain. I ascertained that hoover A was my choice, and had a brief chat with the assistant about it. I then went back at 4.45pm ( they shut at 5) and said  “ I’ve just popped back for another look”.  I got the assistant chatting and then asked if they could match the price I had seen online. They got a sale and I saved £7.  

Whilst in store I also spotted a couple of bargain items in their clearance section, which I wouldn’t have seen otherwise 

RipleyG

 I buy in store even if it costs more. I've actively avoided buying online for the last 4 years. 

It's not just the outright ethics of testing in an individual shop then walking away, it's also about the kind of world I want to live in. I want the retailers to continue to exist, but for them to do that there has to be enough business. 

A lot of retailers have closed in my two closest towns (Bournemouth and Ringwood). Many of my friends grumble about it, and go elsewhere for their nice day out/window shopping - but I point out that they buy most things online so they've not contributed to keeping places open. 

quartzz

ouraggie said:

I was in the market for a stick hoover. I shortlisted two ideal-sounding options online, then went to “view” them in my local branch of a national chain. I ascertained that hoover A was my choice, and had a brief chat with the assistant about it. I then went back at 4.45pm ( they shut at 5) and said  “ I’ve just popped back for another look”.  I got the assistant chatting and then asked if they could match the price I had seen online. They got a sale and I saved £7.  

Whilst in store I also spotted a couple of bargain items in their clearance section, which I wouldn’t have seen otherwise 

Good job - would you have bought in store if (say) in store was £150 and online was £125?

Hoenir

quartzz said:

ouraggie said:

I was in the market for a stick hoover. I shortlisted two ideal-sounding options online, then went to “view” them in my local branch of a national chain. I ascertained that hoover A was my choice, and had a brief chat with the assistant about it. I then went back at 4.45pm ( they shut at 5) and said  “ I’ve just popped back for another look”.  I got the assistant chatting and then asked if they could match the price I had seen online. They got a sale and I saved £7.  

Whilst in store I also spotted a couple of bargain items in their clearance section, which I wouldn’t have seen otherwise 

Good job - would you have bought in store if (say) in store was £150 and online was £125?

Always instore. If I don't buy from the shop it might not be there next time I'm seeking good solid advice. Arranging deliveries from local independent shops is far easier. The staff better trained and customer focussed. After sales issues likewise resolved and rectified promptly. 

elsien

speedbird_002 said:

If I see something in store the rare time I am in the city shopping, I will check online and see if its much cheaper. Somethings can be 10-30% cheaper online.

It used to be local was best and I always shopped local and it was easy and better quality. But with greedy councils putting up charges to park in Edinburgh (£25 a day) and Glasgow (£5 per hour) to fight for spaces on roads that have been reduced in width for bikes with bollards and planters now an eyesore, it means I need to spend 3 hours getting in an out, parking charges and then the store doesnt always have what you need.  Online - its MUCH cheaper in the long run when you add in all the extra costs which is what has killed the local stores.

Council's getting greedy and making it harder to get there made all but general trips to town die off. Local stores then closed and were filled with large junk filled national stores which then makes the city centre look awful. Everyone then wants the better quality and goes online. Its a death cycle.

Also it is possible to order 20 versions of one item online, get free or cheap shipping and then send back what you don't need without leaving your home in some cases. Local stores cannot compete here. The solution is for city councils to have a local plan, stop killing the centres for vanity projects and cycle lanes and extortionate parking and let people in to bring the city back to life.

Edinburgh is now nothing but the same cheap tat stores on Princes St, cycle lanes and bollards. There are only a few high end local stores who can afford the location due to price of what they sell.

Never done that and never would. I see that as taking the proverbial.

tealady

Some things I buy online (stuff that isn't stocked locally)
Shop for food in shops, same with clothes.
Rarely use Amazon but do check online to find shops that sell what I am looking for

charlieheard

I will always aim to buy from a local store, even if it's slightly more expensive. That way you know that your cash is going to help the local economy and keep local people employed. Buying from Amazon just adds to Jeff Bezos's billions offshore somewhere and keeps more people working in shocking conditions on minimum wage in his warehouses.

If everyone buys from Amazon, these little shops will simply die and the rest of the high street will die too. Then we'll just be left with the Amazon monopoly

saajan_12

The problem is you often can't test it in store either. Usually because of some combination of 
1) having limited models / sizes / colours in stock 
2) items being security locked or otherwise not able to physically test
3)  store staff being temporary and just there to man the tills without knowing much about the products

The result is you're dissuaded from going in store as its likely to be a wasted trip if they don't have it in, and there's more risk because you don't have the automatic 14 day right to return.

I think ultimately theres no putting the online shopping genie back into the bottle. Instead, my solution would be re-purpose physical stores into showrooms, with one of everything in stock. That's just a cost centre paid for by the brands, and factored into the wholesale price (ie the online retailer needs less of a margin as they're managing fewer returns. Perhaps in store they could give you a code which you can use when purchasing to attribute the sale to that store for commission / kudos etc.