Do you purchase on line? I used to quite a bit. It was easy and it was much more economical. But I always compare prices. In the past one big on line retailer was always the cheaper way to go, even with delivery. However in the past few months I have found that the local big box stores are considerably cheaper than any retailer including the big one I can find online. I'm not sure if its just the products I'm purchasing or not, but online is getting much more expensive for most items I'm searching for, even if it's more convenient. What's your take?
On line purchasing.....
- Thread starter needshave
- Start date
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
One of the "friction pads" on our dishwasher door broke this morning. I searched several sites, online, and the common price seemed to be about $5, plus $2 shipping for a new pad. I found a listing on EBAY for $2. I bought 4....$10.50 with shipping.
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
A couple of days ago, we were shopping for a Christmas gift for one of the Granddaughters. Amazon "seemed" to have the best price....UNTIL I got to the checkout. It seemed that in order to get this price, I needed to sign up for Amazon Prime. BS!!! I can almost Always find a better price than what is listed on Amazon. Needless to say, I deleted that order. I almost always check Amazon, and 99% of the time I can find a better deal elsewhere. I'll let others contribute to Jeff Bezos insane wealth.
I do my best to support the local retailers. I know I could save money shopping at Lowe’s, but I go to a neighbor of mine that owns his own True Value store, so I like helping out the little guy. Mine and his friendship is worth the few bucks extra that I spend. Washers, dryers, TVs, whatever, we buy from a local retailer.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
I do some of each.
I prefer to make my purchases in person but since the pandemic hit I've been doing more online shopping.
The worst part of online shopping for me is the barrage of junk emails and waiting to swoop up my deliveries from FedEx and UPS as soon as they leave them out on the stoop. USPS is the only carrier that makes the trek to my little third-floor apartment without being asked/told.
I prefer to make my purchases in person but since the pandemic hit I've been doing more online shopping.
The worst part of online shopping for me is the barrage of junk emails and waiting to swoop up my deliveries from FedEx and UPS as soon as they leave them out on the stoop. USPS is the only carrier that makes the trek to my little third-floor apartment without being asked/told.
tbeltrans
Senior Member
If I can't get what I need locally, I will buy online. There are somethings I won't buy online. Guitars - I have to try before I buy and I don't want to risk breakage. We have Amazon Prime right now due to a great discount last year on Veteran's Day. That takes care of shipping, but if that same discount isn't available this year, we will let the subscription go.
Tony
Tony
Packerjohn
Packerjohn
- Location
- Canada
You know, I haven't ordered anything for months. Now, my daughter is telling me to buy a Air Fryer instead of that George Forman guy. So, yesterday I went to Costco & saw this huge line of "losers" standing along the whole side of the building & beyond. My life is too short to stand in line for an hour to get into some store. I l left, went home & ordered the Air Fryer from Amazon this morning. It will be delivered to my door in 1 week.
Aneeda72
Well-known Member
Why are people in lines losers?
tbeltrans
Senior Member
Exactly! I always considered it strange that folks would work all week and then when the weekend arrived, spend their time waiting in line for a table at a restaurant. Our solution has always been to either not go at all, or go when other people don't, such as mid-afternoon.
I remember just one occasion going to Black Friday sale at Micro Center with a friend of mine who wanted to buy a computer for his son who was heading off to college. We waited in line for almost an hour to get in. They were only letting in three people at a time, and that was when three people had exited. Anyway, we finally got in and found that the sales were essentially for junk stuff we would never want to buy.
Now, there are lines due to not allowing many people into a place so that social distancing can be done. The weird thing is that there is no social distancing that I can see among those standing in line.
My general rule of thumb is that if I see a line, I don't join it. As you say, life is too short.
Edit: I just saw another post questioning your use of the word "losers". So just to be clear, my post is only addressing the quoted post part that is in bold. I just figure some people either don't mind, or maybe actually like to stand in line because it gives them time to visit with whomever they went to that shop or restaurant with.
Tony
Aneeda72
Well-known Member
My son has this same attitude. I think that’s fine. But people who wait in lines are not losers. They are just more patient people.
tbeltrans
Senior Member
Aneeda72, I NEVER said they were losers. To quote what I edited into my post above after seeing yours and before you posted your response, because I just knew you would come after me on this as you seem to when you see the opportunity:
Edit: I just saw another post questioning your use of the word "losers". So just to be clear, my post is only addressing the quoted post part that is in bold. I just figure some people either don't mind, or maybe actually like to stand in line because it gives them time to visit with whomever they went to that shop or restaurant with.
Tony
Aneeda72
Well-known Member
Sorry, I was not saying you said people were losers. But since I’ve come back here, let me ask you a question, realize I know nothing about guitars.
If some famous guitar player who you wanted to see in person for your whole life was giving a free concert, would you stand in line for hours to get in?
My son won’t stand in line for a shop or restaurant, but for a Star Wars movie he will. Like everything else, for most people, it depends what you are standing in line for. What would you, personally, stand in line for?
tbeltrans
Senior Member
Thanks Aneeda72 for the clarification. Just to be clear on my posts though in general, if I mark a section of a quoted post in bold, I am only responding to that part of the post and not the whole thing. If I don't mark any of a quoted post in bold, then I am responding to the whole thing.
No, I would not stand in line for more than, say 15 minutes or so for anything unless I had no choice. For me, having no choice might be to board a plane, go through customs, wait to see a doctor, etc. If there is a short line at a restaurant that I can see won't take more than 15 minutes or so, I am willing to wait.
I should explain more directly to your question that I have only really wanted to see a guitar player in a live performance on a few occasions. I am very fortunate that my tastes don't run with the mainstream, so I see these players in very small venues and house concerts where there isn't a line. So your question, while certainly valid and thought-provoking, wouldn't apply to me. I d hope that the explanation before this paragraph does answer your question in a more general sense.
Regarding guitar, there is a standing joke that a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords for 3 people, while a rock guitarist plays 3 chords for 3,000 people. So I am one of the 3 people.
I can see folks waiting a long time in a line to eat or see a concert because usually they are with friends and/or family and they just visit with each other while waiting. On local TV news coverage, when there were people even waiting overnight for sports tickets or a Black Friday sale store to open, they seemed to make a party out of it with friends and family instead of just standing there doing nothing all that time, and that is what the focus of the news story typically will be.
Tony
Aneeda72
Well-known Member
I stood in a long line to see Elvis Presley because a friend did not want to go alone. Same to see white rabbit and a few others. I’ve stood on long lines to take my kids to concerts, disneyland, movies, etc. I have never stood in a long line to do something that I wanted to do. There is just nothing I ever wanted to do that badly.Thanks Aneeda72 for the clarification. Just to be clear on my posts though in general, if I mark a section of a quoted post in bold, I am only responding to that part of the post and not the whole thing. If I don't mark any of a quoted post in bold, then I am responding to the whole thing.
No, I would not stand in line for more than, say 15 minutes or so for anything unless I had no choice. For me, having no choice might be to board a plane, go through customs, wait to see a doctor, etc. If there is a short line at a restaurant that I can see won't take more than 15 minutes or so, I am willing to wait.
I should explain more directly to your question that I have only really wanted to see a guitar player in a live performance on a few occasions. I am very fortunate that my tastes don't run with the mainstream, so I see these players in very small venues and house concerts where there isn't a line. So your question, while certainly valid and thought-provoking, wouldn't apply to me. I d hope that the explanation before this paragraph does answer your question in a more general sense.
Regarding guitar, there is a standing joke that a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords for 3 people, while a rock guitarist plays 3 chords for 3,000 people. So I am one of the 3 people.
I can see folks waiting a long time in a line to eat or see a concert because usually they are with friends and/or family and they just visit with each other while waiting. On local TV news coverage, when there were people even waiting overnight for sports tickets or a Black Friday sale store to open, they seemed to make a party out of it with friends and family instead of just standing there doing nothing all that time, and that is what the focus of the news story typically will be.
Tony
tbeltrans
Senior Member
I stood in a long line to see Elvis Presley because a friend did not want to go alone. Same to see white rabbit and a few others. I’ve stood on long lines to take my kids to concerts, disneyland, movies, etc. I have never stood in a long line to do something that I wanted to do. There is just nothing I ever wanted to do that badly.
You have PATIENCE!
Tony
tbeltrans
Senior Member
That makes good sense in the face of COVID-19. A person can have groceries delivered around here from most local grocery stores, but I have a couple of these so close to me that it wouldn't be worth it. Also, at least around here, it seems that most people I encountered in these grocery stores seem to be following the mask and social distancing guidelines pretty well, as well as being unusually polite.
Tony
Well that and since I work in healthcare and we have staff that are getting that crap I won't be spreading it further if I get it by gallavanting all over town.