It seems there’s a shift happening, in my own life and with my friends. I wonder if it’s the same across the board. More and more, I find myself lamenting that it’s simply easier to place an order online than it is to get to the store itself and I wonder if stores have seen a decrease in foot traffic because of it.
I’ve found a lot of great deals online that I likely would not have found in store because I simply don’t get to my favorite stores more than once a month or so (I live more than an hour away from a large shopping center). I prefer shopping in my pj’s with a cup of coffee rather than being distracted in a store with my kids running in the other direction. In a store you can’t just leave your cart and come back a few hours later.
Stores that offer free shipping, coupon codes for online discounts and more are going to score by having loyal customers who keep coming back for more. But what of stores that treat their online customers different than in store?
My friend Shauna posted a rant on her Facebook page the other day which got me thinking (company name removed):
Situations like the above make online shopping more appealing for sure (the rationale here being if she had shopped online, the store would likely make the price adjustment to her credit card online as well, hopefully?)
I get frustrated when I see an online code for a store I’m visiting in person that day (so shopping in store I don’t get the discount?) and the opposite of course happens for deals happening in store that are not available online.
Until companies treat their online and in store shoppers the same, there’s going to be a divide and people preferring one way over the other. I’m not sure if a total shift will happen but until then, I’ll continue to hunt out ways to find great gift ideas at Barnes and Noble online, make my shopping list for Bath & Body Works to shop in person, and hunt out the next great free shipping promotion for back to school clothes this summer. If you’re smart and shop savvy you can benefit with a great balance of deals in store and online.
I find if I am shopping for clothes for myself (especially shoes and bathing suits) in store is a must. But for anything from books to camping gear, and sundries to organic veggies; online has found its place in my heart. There are so many online specials all year long, so I shop for Christmas throughout the year this way. And come October – November many places have free shipping (some with minumums and some without). A few favourites for online are MEC, Well.ca, Chapters, and even the Bay now. Being able to buy toothpaste while the baby is napping AND have it delivered for free is the way to go. Mind you, you lose out on coupons but since stacking has taken such a hit here now, when you factor in the time, aggravation and gas money to haul yourself out to use a $2 coupon, I find it sometimes isn’t worth it. I would rather sit back with a cup of tea and my trigger finger.
It depends on what I am buying and if I must see it in person first. Also depends on how much I am actually saving, especially with shipping factored in, and how much I am willing to spend. I do prefer to help my local economy whenever possible. I don’t like stores that take advantage of people to increase their profits, but if it is fair market value I always choose local over online. If it is time sensitive and unavailable in store, I don’t mind ordering online if the store can’t make it happen quicker.
I’m an online shopper unless I really need to go to a brick and mortar, the people you have to deal with at those places are almost always a disappointment at best. I’ll stick online and mostly with Amazon where they have customer service that lives up to the name.
I Have started to do a lot more online shopping in the past few years. Around the holidays I found it was WAY more convenient to shop online AND I was able to find unique items for gifts often at better prices. How could you ask for more?
I have found sites like Well.ca (which offers free shipping that is quick) are able to offer me products like batteries, cleaning supplies, etc at the same price as in store. I will often shop from there if I am not in a rush to have the item…
Shipping times is what limits me..
I prefer online shopping, I have been doing so for years. I enjoy seeing how much cash back I’ve received. I will still go to a few stores, because sometimes they do have sales in store that they do not even tell you online or advertise. 😀
I like shopping in store because I get to see the items face to face. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen something online that I thought I would absolutely love only for it to arrive and I’m left disappointed. shopping in store also saves me shipping costs and crazy border fees…..but at the same time I’d never give up online shopping because the deals tend to be WAY better, the items i’m looking for are almost ALWAYS in stock (and if they’re not it’s only a couple click until i find a store that does have it in stock). and lastly I’ve found so many items online that I’d never find in any of the stores around here. I guess it’s 50/50 for me right now. lol.