Has the internet ruined buying things for you?

I only really buy TV's once a high resolution comes out and is a decent price. I like to support my local business and not Curry's or the like... usually they have decent stock. But yeah I tend to obsess other price, I'll scour the internet for days looking to see if it's cheaper anywhere than the usual places like Amazon.

Rarely do though and can't help but give these tax dodgers cash.
 
I like getting a good deal but i also like a good buying experience, as in, i like reliability and speed. So there are times in the past where i have gone with an item that costs a fraction more because i trust who/where i am buying from.
 
I have no problem with buying things online.

The TV buying scenario is no different to me, because before the internet I would have bought a magazine or two and researched my purchase that way.
 
The researchy bit is the bit I enjoy most. Don't get me wrong I don't go all anal and spend months agonising over every review and detail but I enjoy getting informed prior to purchase.
 
If you are 20 the internet has been here your entire purchasing life so how has it ruined shopping for you? It's not suddenly come along and changed how you buy.
 
Last edited:
Back in the old days ie early to mid 90's before internet was affordable to all, all my shopping was done in a shop, use to love going buying a new TV or hifi back then when there were plenty of electrical goods shops around, these days there only really Argos & Curry's left in Wigan if ya want anything like that so do all my shopping online, lol even my food i do online sometimes and have delivered aswell :)

I reckon 20 years from now, 98% of what we buy will be online there won't be any big Stores left, you can actually see that happening now were i live were once big places are now gone and plenty of empty shops in Wigan Town Center, nothing like it was 20 years ago.

Also Argos is rumored to be the next retailer to dissapear from the high street as they are planning on going online only and closes most if not all of their stores.
 
LoopyOrc said:
This. It's way too easy to just clicky and buy! I despise searching in public, certainly for big purchases...can't deal with people. Online you can get some nice and honest advice from the lovely guys at places like this forum and happily buy a product.
Click to expand...

Are you me? :p

I only buy stuff I can afford but I generally Tend not to need them. An example, I bought 3 books yesterday despite still having 10 to read :p
 
I hate crowded shops full of mouth-breathers and disinterested teenage till staff, so the internet is ideal for me. I even get my groceries delivered to my door now, only going to the shops if I want fresh fish, meat, bread or a random item I can't wait for. :D

It's much easier to make an informed choice online. Peer reviews, independent assesments (Which? etc) and price comparison tools are all there if you want them.

I still use the small local shops as I like to support local businesses but that's about it.
 
I've always been anal about my purchases (need to read reviews and be happy or I won't buy!) so the Internet has helped in that regard!
 
I know exactly what you mean - I'd go as far to say specialist forums (like this) compound the 'issue' further.

You'd think buying a torch would be an easy thing for example - after reading the torch thread I realised my life wouldn't be complete without an expensive torch that would blind anything that looks directly at it and shines for 700mtrs. Without this forum I would never have realised my need for such an item.

On a more serious note though, I had to stop reading too many reviews when I bought my new receiver and TV because at some point you will find a negative review and you start to question what you thought was a well informed/researched decision! As invaluable a tool as it is, the internet can be a curse when trying to choose as well.

Does really remind me of this sketch from Michael Mcintyre:

 
no, the internet has not ruined buying things for me, it has improved it considerably in every way.

i cant see why you would want to make mistakes and buy items that dont do what you want and then later regret. there is nothing worse than that "OH FFS" and then you're stuck with something ****, with a stupid bug/fault/missing feature!
 
The internet has enriched my shopping experience by giving me a great choice, the ability to do more research and save time. It has however lead to more impulse buying. Large/expensive items still get seen in the flesh not always bought online as merchant reputation/service come into play. I’m quite happy to spend a little more if it comes from a source I know.
 
[TW]Fox;23443386 said:
If you are 20 the internet has been here your entire purchasing life so how has it ruined shopping for you? It's not suddenly come along and changed how you buy.
Click to expand...


Fair point, but that is also my point.

Because i've pretty much in the last 8 years been able to use the internet for purchases, it's molded me on how to make purchases. It's because i've got this vast resource at my disposal that i've seen the whole world of products, and what's better than what i was going to get / did get.

My question is mainly to people older than me, wondering whether it's affected them at all.


Also to counteract a point some have made, the money portion of my arguement is really the smallest part, if i see a TV for £100 i like, but someone points out a better one for whatever reasons at £150. I'll go for the better one.
My point being am i getting the satisfaction then knowing if i spent £200 i could have gotten better, or if i'd waited a month £150 would have gotten me a different product but with an additional feature. Or if i'd bought over at another shop i would have gotten one with a free tv stand, or whatever the example requires.


Anyway thanks for all the replies, i've found it quite interesting.


EDIT:
LoopyOrc said:
I went through a period not long ago where I bought three books online...haven't read a single one xD
Click to expand...

I've got A song of ice and fire to get through :| not started yet.
 
I prefer to take my time comparing items and then getting the right one. I then look for the cheapest, get further discount through Quidco and then get it delivered to my door. What could be more simple than that, I hate shopping with a passion, the only draw back I can see is you don't get to oggle the women when wandering around Bluewater.

MW
 
I can't stand milling around shops like a cow in a field, would much rather buy stuff online, and it's often cheaper. I do like getting food from small local shops though, the good old fashioned butchers and grocers that have nice fresh stuff, even if it is more expensive than the supercattlemarket.
 
phil675 said:
I can't stand milling around shops like a cow in a field, would much rather buy stuff online, and it's often cheaper. I do like getting food from small local shops though, the good old fashioned butchers and grocers that have nice fresh stuff, even if it is more expensive than the supercattlemarket.
Click to expand...

:D to clarify i love buying things online, i have a very real hatred of actual shopping. Unless i'm alone in which case in and out.
My point is about the availability of information becoming a factor in enjoying your product, especially when you read a bad review.
 
Joshct said:
However this is my point:

With the internet, i feel compelled to make the perfect buying choice, on every single item, every single time.
Which is a lot of hassle, i recently realised i was spending hours over looking for a perfect beard trimmer, a time i could have just bought something, realised i hated it and bought something else in. (If you equate time to money i'd come out on top).
Click to expand...

This IMO is OTT (lots of abbreviations going), I recently purchased a beard trimmer, a Remington MB320C, I searched on this very forum for around 5 minutes saw that people recommended it and ordered it. I have no idea if it's the best model but it does the job perfectly.

Small purchases really don't need hours of research but large research would obviously need it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom