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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to ask about your real vs online shopping habits

57 replies

manicinsomniac · 15/01/2013 12:12

and if you feel guilty about them?

I seriously can't remember the last time I went into an actual high street shop and bought something.

I go to a massive Sainsburys or Tesco Extra once a week and buy all the food and most of the other stuff I need there.
I buy all our books, music and DVDs from Amazon or Ebay
I buy all our clothes and toys from ebay or store websites
I buy all applicances etc online

My contribution to the life of high streets over the past 5 or 6 years must be practically non existent. The one exception is that I buy the odd item from my village general store.

I feel really bad about it now the shops all seem to be closing. But online and massive 24/7 shops just seem like the only way of managing nowadays.

OP posts:
TheSecondComing · 15/01/2013 15:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mollymole · 15/01/2013 15:10

To ProfYaffle
Which shop is it that you can click and collect and then collect locally.

I try to buy locally as we have a vibrant but very small little high street in our small town, but there is so much you cannot get locally and some of the local shops are very much of the 'I saw you coming' type.

RedToothbrush · 15/01/2013 16:02

I combine the two these days.

I'll very often window shop for clothes and try things on, and then if I still want it, buy it online later (stops so many impulse buys or I'll see if I can catch the same item later online in the sale). So the store has a purpose, but I don't always buy at store.

I have bought clothes online alone, but more often than not its a great big fat waste of time and takes more time and effort to return stuff.

The exception being bras where I simply have NEVER been able to find anything in my size to fit, so have always used online (Bravissimo stores started opening up after I had problems and I still have issues with the stuff they often stock. Not to mention actually going to a store tends to be a great big trek. And stupidly overpriced).

I tend to try and avoid using the main supermarkets when I can. I refuse to get a loyalty card of any type. I try and buy seasonal produce as its fresher and tends to be more likely to be British grown. I tend to go shopping when I have to do other things to avoid extra miles on the car and the cost of fuel, so that largely dictates where I end up.

The cost of fuel has had a big impact on where we shop tbh. We don't do it as much as we used to. Likewise, we do tend to go places where parking is free (or Sunday shop as again, its free).

I don't buy supermarket fuel as for some reason my MPG goes down quite a bit when I do, so Shell, BP, Total etc actually seem to work out better value if I can get it at only 1p a litre more.

I try and use specialist music shops where I can. It tends to involve a special trip but its worth it. I still buy the occasional bit of vinyl too.

I try and buy direct if I can for most stuff I buy online. For example buying travel guides from Lonely Planet not through a third party like Amazon. DH tries to get his good outdoor equipment stuff from brands that are ethically motivated or British based as much as he can (He loves Alpkit). For the bits and pieces he goes to Decathlon, so he can save his pennies for more important kits of kit.

I actually browse Amazon a lot, and then source stuff elsewhere after comparing stuff.

We do use Amazon, but we do try and keep it to a minimum if we can. Over the last couple of years the selection of books has gone down a lot. We used to have a very good Borders nearby, but since that closed, we've had to use Amazon more.

Big purchases such as camera or computer we've recently done through John Lewis because of the better warrantees and service you can get than buying direct (Apple needs to step its game up on this one, as its lacking).

I refuse to get a kindle and I don't buy MP3s.

I'm very conscious of spending pounds wisely, and efficiently rather than picking the cheapest as I don't think it works out cheaper in the long run, if it puts people in the UK out of work. It all comes back round in tax or cuts or an increased unemployment benefit bill, so you don't win in the long run. It still costs you, further down the line. If I can buy British or British made I will. But equally I still refuse to pay a huge premium to do this. I do believe there are a lot of business models that do work in the face of the supermarket giants and likes of Amazon and don't cost the earth.

Oh, and I don't use Starbucks. But thats mainly cos I don't like coffee or tea and its hideously overpriced anyway.

MadeinHitchen · 15/01/2013 16:19

I do about 70% of non-food shopping online. I often only have time to do it in the evenings, so it's just not convenient to rely on shops. I tend to use price comparison sites for things like books and games, and just buy wherever is the cheapest. Sometimes I browse items in shops but usually prices are so much better online, so I resist impulse buying and do more research before buying something in person.

I do my food shopping in store, but that's mainly because I don't buy enough to justify having a big shop delivered.

I don't feel too guilty about it though; most of the store chains which have closed have always been problematic by not being competitive enough on price but also not having good enough customer service to make up for it.

I actually prefer dealing with chain stores and big name companies to independent and smaller stores. You get a bigger range, better prices, and things like refund policies tend to be set out more clearly. I know some people like having an individual service, but personally I find that a bit intrusive and I don't like it at all.

zlist · 15/01/2013 16:40

I buy nearly all the meat from the local butchers
I 'pop' into Waitrose nearly every day (it is the closest supermarket and within walking distance)
I try to buy VERY local (within our town), if I can't get what I want there then I generally won't bother going to the next town along or further - I then buy online. Parking is very reasonable at our town and I can also walk there in a max of 10 mins.
I buy about 50% of my clothes in town and the rest online. DH and DS get almost all of their clothes online.
Just started bulk buying wine from laithwaites and getting a veg box from Riverford in the hope that it will stop me going to the supermarket quite so often!

elliejjtiny · 15/01/2013 17:05

I do about half online and half on the high street.

Groceries in Tesco/asda
My clothes mostly online since most of the clothes shops I use locally closed.
Children's clothes mostly on the high street (although I browse online first to save time)
Books from amazon/bookpeople
DVD's bit of a mixture but when hmv goes will be online
everything else on the high street

I prefer to shop on the high street and hopefully will be doing it more often now ds2 is doing more hours at school.

ProfYaffle · 16/01/2013 08:04

mollymole Tesco and Boots. It's great because I can get anything from their full, big store ranges delivered to our small high st branches. I think you have to check on the website if your branch participates. Tesco is especially good, if you order before 3pm it's delivered after 4pm the following day.

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