Do you book your holidays (short haul) in store or online?

[CharleyDavidson]

And if so, why?

Am wondering if there's a particular benefit of going one way or the other. THanks for any replies.

Online. I haven't been to a shop in years.

Oh, I lie, I went into one last year because I was passing, and wanted a fairly simple question answering, and they were so pushy. And rang me several times afterwards.

That doesn't sound good. I have seen the holiday I want to book and it's £150 cheaper online on Thomson compared to instore at one of their shops. I am tempted to go and see what the best price they can do is, but don't like hard sell!

(Have not booked an abroad holiday before so not really sure if there are any differences with different ways of booking either!)

Online as I generally book the accommodation and flights separately as it gives more choice.

Sometimes the shops can give you a discount. Would you buy it if they gave you £50 off, instead of the entire £150?

I do it online now anyway. Most of the store staff are really knowledgeable but this one in our Thomson shop seems to know nothing about anything, gives fluffy answers and just reads the stuff available for me to read myself rather than adding anything or being able to make recommendations based on experience. It made me think I might as well book online.

Have done both. Our local Thomson shop has great staff. Not pushy but really helpful and matched the online price we'd found.
Tend to book online for flights and independent hotel but package hols ( we did our first 2 this year!) we used the store.

I have done both. Thomson shop also matched the online price for me too.

Have done both. Our local Thomson shop has great staff. Not pushy but really helpful and matched the online price we'd found.
Tend to book online for flights and independent hotel but package hols ( we did our first 2 this year!) we used the store.

I'm taking a screenshot of the online price in to the store tomorrow and will see what the local store can do.

It is also worth looking online for a local Travel Counsellor. They work independently from home but, as a group, have the booking power and ATOL protection of the travel agencies

We have used one for a trip to USA with several flights and stops in different cities. She put it all together in one package, did all the hard work searching out the deals and got a better price than we could online.

Thomson on line were cheaper than their shop actually alot cheaper £140, I wanted to book in the shop as felt easier to speak to a real person who could answer my questiosn. They would not budge on price whatsoever! they said they had to cover their admin costs, after having a strop they agreed free insurance for us

I was lucky (ish).

I went in store with a printout of the online quote and asked them if they would. They said (and I've read on here about this) that there would be a £25 web match fee. The discount was £185 so I paid the £25 for them to match the deal. That way I can sit with them when it comes to booking the seats etc and booking parking etc.

I don't understand why you would pay a £25 fee for them to match the price, surely its far easier to just book it yourself online!

Booking parking/sets and everything else is also easy, no need to sit down with anyone.

Both.

I have found the shop will pricematch in the past. If the shop do it and mess up spellng names etc its there problem to rectify not mine!! Thats the only reason really and I like to think Im keeping someone in a job!

Why? Because I've not booked a package holiday before so it was worth someone going through everything for me for my peace of mind. And because I wasn't sure how confident booking something of that value online.

And because I can go in and badger them with my questions if I have any for the next 6 months!

And because I can go in and badger them with my questions if I have any for the next 6 months!

YY to this. Or you run the risk of pissing off your exceptionally wonderful friends