to hate the very idea of online shopping and absolutely refuse to participate?

[GodzillasBumcheek]

For one - i haven't got a credit card (by choice - can't spend money i don't have), and even if i did, how secure are 'secure' pages, really?

For two - how can i try shoes on over an ethernet cable? how can i feel the fabric of a scarf (obv so i know if i'm going to find it itchy, not because i'm some sort of Cloth-Snob).

For three - if you end up with damaged or unsuitable goods how much more awkward is it to send them back? (That's a genuine question - i really don't know!)

And finally - when you get grocery shopping online how irritating is it when you end up with a box of eighteen petits filous which go off tomorrow?

Come on - is it really that great?

Hey don't blame me - fizzpops started it

I think shopping online is a good thing, I also think it doesn't make you save time. Because if you really want to shop good things online you really have to take your time, use 3 to 5 online shopping communities, 3 to 5 price comparison engines. And yes you save more money when you buy online, I think it's worth it to save some money. Okay you don't get to try things like you do when you go to the place, I don't understand why things are cheaper online but it is like that and as long as it's like that I will put myself in a position to take advantage of it. One of the new tool I have just discovered to shop online is Shop Carefully, once people out there start to use that site it will be a helpful one. See what I'm talking about visit it at www.shopcarefully.com.

LOL Godzilla don't ever worry about picking on me, I am pretty tough .

I enjoy clothes shopping in real shops if I can go by myself. Other stuff I buy online and get delivered.

Give it a try for stuff that doesn't matter, i.e. cleaning products/branded household stuff and just shop around until you find an agreeable (or free) delivery service. We use Amazon prime, which is 40quid a year and means everything we order from Amazon is delivered next day with no charge. But we do buy a lot of our stuff from Amazon so that makes sense for us. DS's birthday this weekend and Aussie relatives like for us to draw up an Amazon wish list for him that they can then purchase from and have delivered. They tend to do the same for us and we for them. Everyone is very happy!

I browse for books in the bookstore, sometimes buy them there, but mostly make a note of what looks good and then come home and order from Amazon, usually for 2/3 of the price.

"how secure are 'secure' pages, really?"

Well, I've shopped on the internet heavily for over 4 years and the only time I've ever had my credit card cloned was at the local Shell garage.

Can't beat it. Takes me 10 minutes to do my food shopping online, ten minutes to put it away when it is delivered. No Petrol required. What's to complain about? Do 90% of my christmas shopping online too. Usually then go and get DC's presents with DP on a special outing out, usually with a night out thrown in. It's great knowing that the majority of the Christmas shopping is done and I only have a few bits to get and actually enjoy it. I have never had problems with my credit card, do tend to use well known sites, but have got to know certain ones quite well. One particular company I deal with who sell DVD's DS and WII games etc, provide an excellent service, don't charge for delivery and deliver within a day or two. Use them all the time now. Never had anything not turn up and never had problems with sending anything back. Argos are pretty good too but tend to go over the top with delivery charges. However once when I complained that the box was a bit battered, they offered to send out a replacement the same day. I did not take them up on the offer, just wanted to moan a bit, but thought their service was excellent.

re problems shopping without a debit card...

1. for an expensive item (eg PC) don't exactly want to wander around with hundreds of pounds in cash (and hit limits on withdrawing from a cashpoint too)

2. cheques are accepted in fewer and fewer shops - they're simply going out of fashion as they are fiddly to handle - have to go back to bank, and for larger sums need to wait for clearance...

For carlosmessi - re online often being cheaper

1. some are big warehouses, just sending out mail order all day... no need for a "pretty" store, car parking, can be outskirts of town without high business rates compared to shopping centres/town centres, competing for footfall and possibly having more staff to "meet and greet" and needing to cover lunch breaks etc... warehouse can get by with fewer people

2. some use grey imports - certain TVs hi-fi etc will be sent to particular countries and while there is no legal recommended retail price now, the distribution in the UK may be limited and price may be higher than elsewhere (eg 500 pound music system).

Bit like the kerfuffle over perfumes being sold in supermarkets, where the perfume brand wants "up market" sales only, to try to give an air of exclusivity.

Dealers in UK may have to sign agreements to be listed /advertised by brand owner, and not allowed to do mail order. Such firms firms expect dealers to sell to a customer in the shop, and only Bose sells mail order. It is intended as a quality control so customers get in depth sales chat to determine what they need, and salespeople sometimes have to do courses.

Grey imports might have lower cost to retailer, still be the genuine article, but could not be obtained at that lower price by one of the 'authorised' dealers. As an example, some firms like Richer Sounds can sell kit at prices below the UK distributor price (daft but true) for hi-fi amps etc.

3. Some are simply shop windows for another company which fulfils the orders. It's a way to have several "competing" firms to look at, but prices are near identical. The "shop window" carries no stock, just takes a commission payment, and can spend some money on marketing.

It's a "virtual" store, hardly even needs staff once it is set up. The firm with the warehouse sends out items as per the orders through these shop window sites, without any branding to show the warehouse firm name. They expect minimum sales (eg 10,000 a quarter) from a "shop window" and supply stock information every day in database form (so shop window knows up to date figures for pricing, and a stab at how much stock is held).

Finally, as someone else pointed out, there's the loss of "old timers" who are experts in the field. Those who are in a shop know lots of facts and details about dozens of items and not just the latest and can talk with confidence to a customer wanting something special. Online, few have expert knowledge (some exceptions, perhaps on Ebay/Ebid) and there will eventually be some downsides to doing mostly online shopping as specialist shops with knowledgeable staff will shut down, and the knowledge will be still in those heads but will be inaccessible (unless they are keen to comment on forums etc online to give advice - and for free - so they don't earn from it unfortunately).

I trust my local waitrose absolutely (we don't have Ocado, just waitrosedeliver) - everything is fresh, has a long life, substitutions are free if more expensive than what was ordered, the delivery charge is only £5 which is so much cheaper than fuel and time needed to get there and back, can stock up on big, bulky items and am much less likely to impulse buy ridiculous offers than if I was physically in the shop

in fact it's definitely a time thing, my life is too short to trail up and down supermarket aisles

It's not an option in rural locations like this, but even if it were, I wouldn't use it for foodstuffs.

I have to use it for most other products, because there aren't many shops out here at all.

MI, the Waitrose Delivery service is utterly brilliant isn't it? They are great at using common sense and often give us stuff free if it's even vaguely close to the use by date. It's far superior to Ocado.

yes the freebies are great

they really really earn and deserve my loyalty!