Online vs. In-store shopping

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I was on WalMart's Web site shopping for a bagless canister vacuum cleaner. I saw one that looked like what I wanted and assumed it would be in the store, but when I got there all they had were a few uprights. I went to customer service and asked where the bagless canister vacs were. They had to get the store manager to answer and come to find out, most of the vacuums were only available to purchase online. I aslo found this out for KMart, Target and Best Buy. Why do they show merchandise if it's not available right in the store? Not everyone can, or likes to, order online!
 

I found that too Debodun, the stores don't have enough floor space to stock all of the available merchandise. I have bought a couple of things online from their websites, and most stores will ship to the stores for free pick-up by the customer. I've bought a computer and a headboard for my bed like this, with no problems. You do have to wait for it to arrive at your local store, so it's more of a hassle than if the store stocked it for sure.
 
If you look at the size of your local store; you can see that there is no way they can keep everything in stock....
over here; you can get anything delivered to your local store in about 24 hours.

If you really have to see it first, you have to travel to a larger branch...and our web sites will often tell you where it is in stock, or how many the local store has, if they stock it.
 

I would say I do about 70% of my shopping online and have rarely been disappointed. Walmart, I recently bought a tv, received quite fast, free shipping to home. I wasn't happy returned via usps, received a replacement, wasn't thrilled, returned it, this time I took it too the store received a full refund. Instead of getting another set from Walmart, I didn't see one at the size with the price point I wanted decided to order a different tv from Sears and received it three days after placing the order free shipping. So far I am very happy with this rather inexpensive tv. 4" bigger much better picture and sound for just $20 more than the one other one I returned that mind you was a refurbished set. No more refurbished sets from Walmart that I won't do again.

I have purchased vacuums from Walmart, no issues, had them delivered to my home free shipping. What I do is I always check the reviews on various sites including amazon, though, I'm a bit leery of some of these reviews these days, you have to be quite the detective to get what you want, as not you have many phoney reviewers, but, for me it's worth it.

I've been quite pleased with my online purchases, I think I only once did a store site to store purchase with walmart and that was for a cheapie dvd. But now that I will buy everything from bulk tissue to paper towels to regular size grocery items, I can usually meet the amount for the free shipping price.
 
My belief after watching the documentary about Walmart coincides with a training exercise I participated in at my former employer of 35 years. The exercise was to produce a product that had various parts. They gave us a bag of Legos and instructions to create the product. The secret was to only use the required pieces the instructions requested. The spare parts were to be considered enhancements and not necessary to complete the product. The exercise ended with all the production and supplies brought in house using only the required parts for the end product. Built as cheap as possible with the minimum of parts.

I never buy anything from Walmart that I want to last. I buy only quality tools and electronic equipment at other retailers, because of the corners that manufacturing companies have to cut to make a product profitable so they can sell to the largest retailer in the world.
 
I have found that I can just about buy anything I want or need from Amazon.Com online and have the convenience of free delivery. just bought two new ceiling fans at Lowe's. The first store was sold out of the model that I wanted and I went to the other Lowe's in my town and picked them up. I could have bought the same thing through Amazon and saved time and gasoline.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
My belief after watching the documentary about Walmart coincides with a training exercise I participated in at my former employer of 35 years. The exercise was to produce a product that had various parts. They gave us a bag of Legos and instructions to create the product. The secret was to only use the required pieces the instructions requested. The spare parts were to be considered enhancements and not necessary to complete the product. The exercise ended with all the production and supplies brought in house using only the required parts for the end product. Built as cheap as possible with the minimum of parts.

I never buy anything from Walmart that I want to last. I buy only quality tools and electronic equipment at other retailers, because of the corners that manufacturing companies have to cut to make a product profitable so they can sell to the largest retailer in the world.
Click to expand...

I do believe you about walmart electronics, I'm not that fond of some of those items and agree, if it's an item you want to last, not the best place to shop unless the item is produced somewhere else, but, sold by them.
 
Deb, when you check on line for products, no matter what company, be sure to check whether the item is in stock and whether sold on line only or available in stores, too.
 
I think the descriptions will say if they are available in stores or online only. Sometimes you can check availability with your most local store.

I have to say I prefer online shopping. I don't like the service I often receive in stores. I'd rather buy online anymore for some things. If the person filling my online order is a jerk, I'll never know but I sure know when I have to deal with them in a store.
 
I do a lot of my shopping online and have generally been quite pleased with my purchases. I've never had any problems returning things I didn't like, either. It saves a lot of time, trouble and gasoline, in my opinion. Besides that, you get a much better selection online.
 
I use online shopping often, mostly Amazon, Walmart, Overstock and Toysrus at Christmas, no clothes and some cleaning products to fill out an order to receive free shipping. As Butterfly stated it greatly reduces the stress of shopping.
 
I buy very little on line. like to see & touch stuff. I hate paying shipping or fooling around with sending back returns. do buy a couple of cat vet products, much cheaper even with shipping than in stores, a certain brand of swimsuit that isnt in stock in store out of summer season, (i wear out 3 a year from several times weekly swimming), & certain quality gift retailers, not mentioning names, or they'll deluge me with ads.
 
I'm old fashioned.. I don't shop on line.. I prefer to be in a store and able to touch and see. In addition.. I refuse to put my credit card number into any computer. I don't bank online and I don't pay bills on line.. Having ones banking info out there in the "cloud" is too much for me. I know that nothing is safe, but I'd rather not have it be MY computer.
 
I do almost all my shopping as well as my mother's online with the exception of groceries and clothes. Walmart's website will tell you what items are available at the store and which ones aren't. I've ordered "blindly" so to speak for many years and have only had 1 problem with Walmart which they resolved promptly. Have no complaints.
 
We've done quite a bit of online shopping, with mostly good experiences, but a few bad. Have bought from Amazon, e-Bay, Wal Mart and a few misc. websites. When looking at product online, a person really has to look to see if it says "Store Only", "Online Only", "Store/Online" on the page showing the product. Very few say "Store/Online", but have seen it. But, if it says "Online Only", don't waste the gas going to the store or your time arguing with the store manager........he/she will just show you where it says "Online Only" on the website.

Sometimes the cost of shipping will be close to what the product costs, but if the certain product isn't sold in any stores, it has to be bought online or not at all. Wal Mart use to sell the Wilson socks that I wear, but not anymore. Check w/a few other stores........no go. Now go thru the Wilson website to get those socks. Fine with us.

Now, the bad experience: Picture of product online doesn't match what was delivered!
This happened last year when ordering Darth Vader Costume and Gloves for my Halloween. The costume shown online was beautiful looking. Bright colors and all. Got the costume and, either the person who painted the costume came into work that day drunk or the machine painting accuracy was pretty off. I kept the costume and done my own modifications to it, including repainting some and applying Clear Lacquer (spray) to some areas to make it really shiny. The costume ended up looking great!
The Darth Vader Gloves I ordered didn't look exactly like what was pictured. Sent them back and got a refund. Went to another Halloween website that showed the gloves I wanted. Called the Company Rep and she assured me that the gloves shown online were the ones I wanted. They came to me and they were exactly like the other pair I got from the other company. Called the Rep, she said "I'm sorry", refunded our cc money and told me "just keep the gloves". Even though there not the ones I really wanted, I use them and they are fine. Most of my Darth Vader costume was bought online, except for my Lightsaber, which was bought at Wal Mart store.
 
I prefer shopping on line an use Pay Pal when possible. One of my goals is to relieve stress in my life and the atmosphere in most stores sends me home in a state of anxiety.
 

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