Has being "online" changed your buying habits?

I do sometimes order online. I think I bought a used (and obscure) hand tool from eBay, around 2005 and have sometime used online sources since. Still, if I can get what I need locally, I'll do it. Even if I have to pay a little more. My community means a lot to me. Except for the local big-box stores, I find local store owners & sales people to be friendly & keen to help. Some local proprietors, and co-ops, have done an amazing job.

In terms of the range of stock, I try to keep in touch with what local suppliers carry. If in question, I'll use the phone to find out if they have something I need in stock, or how long it would take to get it. Also, I must say we get good deals on bulk-food purchases from the local food co-op that has a 30-plus year history and which we had a hand in starting.
 

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I agree, @Murrmurr. I love it when I don't have to wait for delivery and just have the product immediately.

But, while I'd like to get everything locally, that's not often workable, and so ... I order online. Not always from Amazon; I often get products from certain companies from their own websites.
 

I've bought items online for over 20 years. We do most of our routine shopping locally, but if we don't need something "today", I visit sites on the Internet, and usually find an item far cheaper. For example, today I ordered several items for the great-granddaughters Christmas presents. We were done shopping and ordering in less than an hour....as opposed to spending all day running to the stores and wasting a tank of gas.
 
I likely purchased things online before I found Amazon, which I joined in 2007.
I can actually go all the way back and see what I've ordered since then.
And in 2007 I placed two orders with Amazon.
In 2008 I placed four orders with Amazon.
I've purchased more and more from Amazon every year since :ROFLMAO:

First thing I bought off Amazon was two radio controlled clocks ...
La Crosse Technology WT-3102B 10-Inch WWVB Self-set Analog Wall Clock and automatic DST reset,Black/silver
I still have and use both.
 
Devi said:
I agree, @Murrmurr. I love it when I don't have to wait for delivery and just have the product immediately.

But, while I'd like to get everything locally, that's not often workable, and so ... I order online. Not always from Amazon; I often get products from certain companies from their own websites.
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Yeah, me too, and that has an odd effect - that thing where you get all bent out of shape over the inconvenience of having to actually drive to a store to get milk or bread or something you have to have right now. It's like when you get mad at your computer for taking 2 whole seconds to open a link or whatever, or when your flight's delayed an eternal 20 minutes because some maintenance guy is de-icing the wings.

When things are too easy we forget miracles like the nearly limitless movement of freight, the world wide web, and human flight.
 
hollydolly said:
what about clothing and shoes ?
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I'm not a fashion guru. I wear the clothes my wife has chosen. I will go to the store to try them on, etc. but I'm very much a focused shopper. That is, I'm not interested in browsing in a clothes store for an hour. If I'm going, it's to buy something, and the deal will be done in ten minutes. :D

Shoes? I think I have four pair, and two of those are dress shoes. I got rid of a lot of them.

When it comes to clothes - I am more than happy to be led. :D
 
I'm a mess with clothes anyway. Fit and wear come first, I like things that need little or no ironing and don't need replacing very often.

I think I realized my fate when I wore a green shirt I was proud of to my Mother's house. She was aghast: "Green is not your color!"

I'll bet the only green thing in my closet to this day is a pale celery-gray pullover.
 
VaughanJB said:
I'm not a fashion guru. I wear the clothes my wife has chosen. I will go to the store to try them on, etc. but I'm very much a focused shopper. That is, I'm not interested in browsing in a clothes store for an hour. If I'm going, it's to buy something, and the deal will be done in ten minutes. :D

Shoes? I think I have four pair, and two of those are dress shoes. I got rid of a lot of them.

When it comes to clothes - I am more than happy to be led. :D
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sounds like my husband, and everyone elses' husbands ...:D
 
dilettante said:
I'm a mess with clothes anyway. Fit and wear come first, I like things that need little or no ironing and don't need replacing very often.

I think I realized my fate when I wore a green shirt I was proud of to my Mother's house. She was aghast: "Green is not your color!"

I'll bet the only green thing in my closet to this day is a pale celery-gray pullover.
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no man suits grey IMO...yet many men wear it regardless, probably more than any other colour . It drains the colour from a mans' face...

You know, you might suit green after all depending on the shade, there's so many different ones
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Well, if you're a member of this age group, once you had to drive to a mall and wander through Sears to buy stuff. And, if you're reading this, you're computer literate. So, you probably buy stuff online. What was the first thing you bought online? Are you buying more stuff online than in stores?
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Good question! I'll have to think about the first thing I bought online.
 
My trend has been to increasingly buy everything online. I see it as the future. Why would a company want to have 100's of brick and mortar locations when they could replace them with several wharehouses? Shoplifting would be greatly reduced.
 
Gardenlover said:
My trend has been to increasingly buy everything online. I see it as the future. Why would a company want to have 100's of brick and mortar locations when they could replace them with several wharehouses? Shoplifting would be greatly reduced.
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...and once everyone is forced to shop online,, then prices and choices could well be removed. Nothing stopping companies selling inferior goods at vastly inflated prices, because you'll have no choice to shop elsewhere
 
Gardenlover said:
My trend has been to increasingly buy everything online. I see it as the future. Why would a company want to have 100's of brick and mortar locations when they could replace them with several wharehouses? Shoplifting would be greatly reduced.
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I saw the future driving through Pennsylvania recently with miles of new million sq ft warehouses.
 
hollydolly said:
...and once everyone is forced to shop online,, then prices and choices could well be removed. Nothing stopping companies selling inferior goods at vastly inflated prices, because you'll have no choice to shop elsewhere
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Hasn't this always been the case? Buyers will always have choices, unless monopolies are allowed.
 
Pinky said:
My Amazon history doesn't show how far back I started purchasing from them, for some strange reason. I started using Amazon several years ago. It is a very convenient way to shop.
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I found my first Amazon order, placed in 2019. It was my friend's first published book. I'd forgotten that I had 2 accounts. I'm currently awaiting 3 Xmas gift orders that will arrive this Friday :)
 
hollydolly said:
sounds like my husband, and everyone elses' husbands ...:D
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Honestly, work clothes were a no brainer, suit (black of dark blue), white shirt and tie, and some nice shoes. Every day. Simples. I did branch out to some colored shirts, but trying to match the suits was a pain. I experimented far more when it came to ties, that little individual embellishment.

I forgot to mention hairdressers - you can't get that done online. My hair is a mess right now, long and getting longer. I've been too lazy, I need to get to a hairdresser to have the normal "number one on the sides and back" and an inch or two on top.

I love women with long hair, but my goodness washing it is some the least fun I've had in a while, and mine isn't even that long. The things we like women to do. :D
 
VaughanJB said:
Honestly, work clothes were a no brainer, suit (black of dark blue), white shirt and tie, and some nice shoes. Every day. Simples. I did branch out to some colored shirts, but trying to match the suits was a pain. I experimented far more when it came to ties, that little individual embellishment.

I forgot to mention hairdressers - you can't get that done online. My hair is a mess right now, long and getting longer. I've been too lazy, I need to get to a hairdresser to have the normal "number one on the sides and back" and an inch or two on top.

I love women with long hair, but my goodness washing it is some the least fun I've had in a while, and mine isn't even that long. The things we like women to do. :D
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well my hair is very long, and it's really no more of a pain to wash...than short har.. but it IS a PITA to dry...

With regard to matching colour with clothes.. if you're in a quandary..an easy way to remember is, that lighter shades of the same colour always match.. so a Navy suit, will look good with a pale blue shirt.. ( as well as white.) and with. pale blue shirt you would wear a dark blue tie...

=Green suits, same.. white shirts or very pale green shirt, and dark green tie..

Black shoes, and Brown shoes will match most colours...

In casual clothing.. Beige Chinos eg..will match with Brown shirt..or sweater..

Black trousers are easy..they will match with anything..except Brown...

Grey joggers seem to be the go to for most men, horrible colour as they are... and should be matched with anything white, or Navy blue, or the same shade of insipid grey...
 
I have a lot of fun browsing certain websites to shop, like Etsy. You can find almost anything at one of the Etsy shops and even get it personalized. I also like going to on line stationery stores for personalized greeting cards and gifts. There are so many on line shops that carry unique items that you just can't find at brick and mortar stores.

I also use on line shopping for price comparisons a lot. I just Google what I want to buy, click "shopping" and up pops 20 different stores with prices. Sure beats driving all around town all day.
 
Devi said:
I agree, @Murrmurr. I love it when I don't have to wait for delivery and just have the product immediately.

But, while I'd like to get everything locally, that's not often workable, and so ... I order online. Not always from Amazon; I often get products from certain companies from their own websites.
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if it is an item i know EXACTLY what it is i can buy online ...........................but far too many times it is garbage not even close to the photo or description.... so great i ordered an errand for myself to return and fight getting my money back..... now keep hearing places tightening their return policies. Also bonus of not trying to play how long will it sit on porch and will it be safe ......
it is frustrating that many stores are carrying such low stock that most people decide to shop online instead...
 

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