Do you miss the days when you could buy something in a store?

seadoug

seadoug

Well-known Member
Location
Texas
So, I had a shower caddy that I purchased from Bed, Bath & Beyond many years ago. It was great quality but was getting a bit worn out. I went on Amazon and purchased a shower caddy that looked similar. When I picked it up today I thought the box was very small. Of course, it had to be assembled. Anything displayed in Bed, Bath & Beyond was assembled.

I put it together and it's in the shower, but it seems flimsy. I miss the days when I could actually check things like this out in a store and not have to guess if they would work. First World problems, I know but it is still annoying.
 

No I don't miss buying something from a store because we can still buy from the store... what I miss is their lack of stock... and as you say nowadays... if we buy online we have to assemble ourselves or pay a huge premium for it be pre-assembled

With furniture this is really difficult for people like me and many thousand of other who just can't assemble a funriture pack..

co-oincidentally I just bought some drawers they cost me £250.. just a night stand 5 drawers... because it's pre-assembled.. if I'd bought it to assemble myself it would have been £80... that's a massive mark-up ...we have very few furniture stores left, that's what we have lost, many , many furniture stores, where we could go and buy all sorts of furniture ... and those that still do exist basically just sell sofas and beds...
 
I get very frustrated because in my area I can't find even some of the most basic items. Just in the past month I've had to turn to Amazon for simple purchases like white canvas Keds and Herbes de Provence. Back East I'd be able to find those in a store with little or no problem.

@seadoug, I also miss being able to check something out in a store before buying it.
 
I bought a lovely Microfiber lounge suite from a furniture store that was closing down. I had to pay $30. delivery and when it came
they carted it into my loungeroom and proceeded to leave. I said, "Aren't you going to take all the plastic wrap off?" and they said it was not their job. There were reams of it and I had to assemble the little legs under it, 20 legs in all. I was pooped when
finished and when it was time to clean it, the cushions were sewn to the base, and I couldn't rotate them, and now, the one that I usually sit on has started to sag. If I had only have known, I wouldn't have bought it.
 
I’ve come full circle and am back to buying as much as possible directly from stores.

Even mail order prescriptions have become more inconvenient than dealing with the local Wegman’s in store pharmacy.

As I get older I will probably return to online shopping out of necessity but for now buying in person is my most convenient option.
 
Yes I do. I miss not being able to inspect and handle things before I buy them. I end up being disappointed with half of my online purchases.

Early this month my decades old apple peeler needed to be replaced? I looked on line and found a new one. In the pictures it appeared to be exactly the same as my old one.when it arrived I immediately noticed the one in the box was much lighter. It looked the same, was painted the same colo(u)r, and seemed to work in the same way. But it was simply junk and did a horrid job of peeling and coring apples. Guess I don't need to tell you where it was made.
 
Not a problem in my area. Tons of competition means more options. Plus I refer local businesses as they usually have better quality. It must be terrible for communities that only have walmart and forced online.
 
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seadoug said:
So, I had a shower caddy that I purchased from Bed, Bath & Beyond many years ago. It was great quality but was getting a bit worn out. I went on Amazon and purchased a shower caddy that looked similar. When I picked it up today I thought the box was very small. Of course, it had to be assembled. Anything displayed in Bed, Bath & Beyond was assembled.

I put it together and it's in the shower, but it seems flimsy. I miss the days when I could actually check things like this out in a store and not have to guess if they would work. First World problems, I know but it is still annoying.
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It takes time, but I've found that it's worth the while to look into the manufacturer when I order certain things online. Most retail websites show the name of the manufacturer or seller when you click on an item, and I click on that name and then look for customer reviews. For example, I've learned that made in Japan promises far better quality than made in China.

But I'll bet there are charts online that rate countries that produce the best quality furniture, bathroom essentials, blankets, etc. That would save you some time.
 
I don’t buy clothes or shoes, unless I can see them and try them on in a department store.
Same for my vehicles. I have to see and test drive before I lay my money down.
I’m sure there are other things I won’t buy from an online catalog.
 
Since walking around and dealing with poor eyesight have taken over for me, I think it’s been about 2-3 years since I set foot in any store…
I don’t miss that way of life.

The ‘new' way of doing things seems to work in my favor. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on life with all the changes …iPhone, Internet, etc.. .it’s all good.
 
I have never had any luck trying to buy shoes on line . But when I try to shop in a store I find the selection very limited. I must wear a common size because that is the size the store will be sold out of.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I still buy everything in stores and will continue doing so. I only order online if it is something I must have and it is impossible to buy in any store. I'd rather drive 60 miles to pick it up.
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That's one reason why I get so frustrated. I live in what is considered a "large" city here. The next-largest city is about 3 hours away. Otherwise, I too would drive.
 
Do you miss the days when you could buy something in a store?
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No, buying online is much more convenient. That plus you really don't know if a brick n mortar store will have what you need/want, until you've driven umpteen miles there, and burned up half the day. One exception: the local hardware store will have what I need, and is only a 5 minute drive.
 
911 said:
I don’t buy clothes or shoes, unless I can see them and try them on in a department store.
Same for my vehicles. I have to see and test drive before I lay my money down.
I’m sure there are other things I won’t buy from an online catalog.
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I buy pretty much all of my clothes and shoes online—because, as I've mentioned in other posts, of the lack of availability in my area—but you make a good point, @911.

I recently bought a pair of sneakers from Amazon. When they arrived, they had clearly already been worn! The soles were dirty, and there was a stain on the back of one. They had been advertised as a brand-new item on the site. They were from a third-party seller, which I try to avoid. When I order, I almost always carefully check to see who the seller is. This one read "Other" for some reason. I'm not sure why this seller thought they could get away with selling used shoes represented as new.

Amazon was fantastic about the return and refund; they make things very easy. And I left a scathing review for whoever the seller was.

I do feel guilty buying so much at Amazon and online in general; I'd much rather put my money into the local community.
 
No, I do not miss it. Since I do not have a car, buying online is convenient for me. Even though I live in the middle of the downtown area of my town I would need a car to get to most stores. The stores in our downtown area are those little specialty shops selling items that are too expensive for me or not really useful in the first place. I have bought furniture from a local furniture store and even though I had to pay a delivery fee the men put it up for me and took all the packaging.
 
If I have someone with me, I enjoy going into stores so I can see the product before buying it. Usually, I'm by myself so most of my purchases are made online except groceries and my prescriptions.
Actually, I prefer shopping by myself because I hate waiting around on people. When I shop, I'm usually on a mission and get what I want and leave.
The reason I don't like to shop by myself, is I've been accosted two different times in a grocery store and a CVS parking lot by people trying to get money from me.
Years ago, I had a friend in Miami that was accosted by someone wanting money. When she reached into her purse to get money out, they shot and killed her. I guess they thought when she was reaching in her purse, she was reaching for a weapon.
 
Marquest said:
During the pandemic, when we got payments, I bought a vacuum online, It is so heavy and I know if I could have seen it in person I would never have bought it.
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You got what you needed. You didn't know. People had to work around the pandemic.
 

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