Online shopping

[hyphenate]

The thread about Amazon made me think of this. I order a lot online because without a car, it's been hell on me getting around. The winter was especially horrendous, so I stayed in and let my fingers do the walking. (That saying finally makes sense!) In addition, there is sometimes a major difference in what I can get online, especially in terms of videos and books, even with the shipping.

So how much shopping do you do online? I think for some, it's an acquired taste, but I have to wonder about those who haven't done it at all. Are a holdout on online shopping? Or are you just technophobic in this case? (Hey--I know one guy who won't even run a debit card through a grocery store cashier's line--he really is quite uncertain about how to do it.)

[aquaman]

1. I order tons from amazon.....

it's cheap and don't have to drive. Last Christmas we did all of our shopping online, with free shipping!

[Captain Angry]

2. Nearly all of my shopping is online.

I have a grocery store nearby. When I need books, there is a local non-chain bookstore. But the local music stores are long dead, you can't get any computer hardware near me without going to Best Buy, etc.

I worked for the little computer shop in town 15 years ago. Best Buy came in and sunk us in under a year.

So, the UPS, FedEx and postal people know my address well.

I only shop locally for shoes and pants. Shirt measurements are pretty standard now. But my feet are size 12 in dress shoes, 11.5 in boots, 10.5 in hockey skates... Who knows what to order.

[jojo54]

3. Sorry, I'm an old fuddy-duddy.

I don't do any shopping, banking or trading online. I'm just too terrified of identity theft, even though there are many other ways it can be done.

[AlCzervik]

4. i shop online for several reasons, i detest shopping, the whole process of going

to the store and trying to find what i need.

I shop at various web sites, some of the sites of the stores i do not go into and some are just online only places and i almost always find what i'm looking for and usually at a better price.

One of the other reasons is that most of my family lives on the east coast so buying and then sending them stuff is a lot easier online.

[Warpy]

5. Food and shoes

are about the only things I'll buy in person these days. I can use an electric scooter to get to the market and I have to try shoes on, or else.

[cynatnite]

6. Amazon and ebay shopper for the most part...

Got a great deal on a new camera that I just love. My mother is scared to death to shop online and no matter what I tell her, she won't budge regardless of how much she could save on what she buys. She does almost everything the more difficult way and pretty much ignores the easier ways that I show her. Makes me feel like dirt sometimes, but what do you do? :shrug:

[tomreedtoon]

7. eBay takes the place of the stores Wal-Mart closed.

It's no surprise that Wal-Mart has destroyed small business and the independent entrepreneur. So have the electronic stores I call Cursed City and Beastly Buy.

If I need a computer component, and I can wait a few days, I'd rather not pay the big bastards anything. I'll look on eBay.

It has its faults. I'm in the middle of a problem. One seller thought I had not paid and issued a fatwah against me - only to discover that he missed the message from PayPal that I had sent the payment the moment I won the auction. That was resolved...but when I got the component I need for a computer, he'd sent the wrong one! I'm trying to arrange a swap.

But the point is, the component I need is unavailable locally at any price, let alone at the ridiculous price the Big Box Boys want. (For you techies, it's a card that provides USB 2.0 ports, a SATA hard drive port, an E-SATA port for an external drive and a single PATA port.) It costs me about $20. I doubt a Big Box store would have the card for less than $50, if they had one.

[Kittycat]

8. I do quite a bit of online shopping, personally

and for my boys. I find a better selection of clothes in my sizes. It seems stores around here are always out of some color or size of something I want.

[grilled onions]

9. Almost Everything Not At The Grocery Store

I don't drive. Walking thru stores is a painful process for hips,knees and feet. Many stores seem to have little variety. All the chains carry the same stuff. Meanwhile on line one can shop and compare,look for the best deals. In a matter of minutes you can find what you are looking for. The cost of shipping is usually less then what it would cost for gas,higher prices and sometimes they still charge you shipping when you pick it up at the store!
The internet has changed the way I shop.

[Speck Tater]

10. Besides necessities like food and fuel, all I buy is books.

And I buy all of those online. Amazon, Alibris, Abe, etc.

[hyphenate]

11. another one of the reasons

I prefer online shopping is because there are less distractions. I can't buy what I don't see. Good way to keep kids from pulling stuff off shelves as well.

[Rosco T.]

12. Amazon & www.newegg.com

get most of my shopping, I got the Amazon Prime service (79/yr, free 2 day shipping on everything, 1.99/overnight, paid for itself when I ordered some DVD shelves/cabs on sale (50% off) and didn't have to pay the 35 each for shipping :) ) and seldom hit the B&M stores, shoot I can get good FOOD deals on Amazon also (only place I can find Tabasco SPAM :) ).

Newegg is where I do all my computer part shopping, 3 day shipping standard and exceptional prices.. few months ago I ordered some 'spares' to keep in stock (power supplies, motherboard, video card, ram) so if something breaks I'm not down for 3 days, but then I can order an replacement for the 'spare closet'.

[shanti]

13. too much!

i got into ebaying, but have pulled back quite a lot because of their new procedures. it's not "fun" anymore.

[magellan]

14. We've been shopping online since the late 90s

...and have never had a problem yet. Most of it we do through Amazon. If we could also do our grocery shopping online and have it delivered like they do in the UK, the car would see even less use than it does now. Grocery shopping is its big trip out each week.

[Hamlette]

15. Shame on all of you. You realize of course you are hurting your local economy when you shop online.

Amazon is the worst. You should support your local bookseller.

[Bluebear]

16. 'I order a lot online because without a car, it's been hell on me getting around.'

Sayeth the OP.