By how much is the Internet destroying our shops?

[Geoffrey Settle]

As more and more people shop online are shops slowly turning into a place to look before you buy your order via the web?

[Evil Sid]

For me it tends to be the other way around. I will go to a particular website to check out what products I am interested in to get an idea what is available and compare prices against similar websites before deciding. It is then usually a trail down to whatever shop I have chosen to purchase.

 

I am one off those people who like to see first hand what I am getting for my money

 

In saying that I can see that a lot of shops offer web discounts for buying online and can probably do so as they do not have to stock the product locally but in a central warehouse thus saving on storage costs. It also saves all the travelling about to various places as well saving you time so that you can spend more time shopping online.

[Dizzy]

Exactly the same comments as Evils put from me.

[Lt Kije]

I think Amazon has already killed book shops

[Geoffrey Settle]

I take your point EVIL SID you could say that you could browse the web - check the prices and then go down the high street for a look and see and then negotiate a good price if you can drive a hard bargain.

 

I know that when I was in the Isle of Man recently the reason for the decline in footfall was the impact of the internet. People said that they had greater choice and with the click of the mouse they could order exactly what they wanted without compromising.

 

As always the Customer appears to be King.

 

In order to survive and prosper the shops must find something extra, special to offer the prospective buyer.

[inky pete]

Retail shops need to start employing people who actually have some knowledge of the products they are selling, and who can offer customers advice on what best suits their individual needs, if they are to survive.

 

Otherwise they are just like fairly poor "real world" websites where people browse for themselves and make their own choices - good or bad - without the convenience, range of choice, and lower prices that are available online.

[Peter T]

I use the internet to compare prices in places like Homebase, B&Q etc. Then go to the shop and buy what I want. However sometimes I buy online if the product isn't available at the store.

[Dizzy]

OAP % discounts on a Wednesday I believe

[Geoffrey Settle]

I believe from my tutor at college that there are very strict conditions that apply to internet sales perhaps even stricter than the high street shops so you might be better protected on the web. And then there is the security of payment offered via your credit card.......

[Evil Sid]

A recent experience I have had was buying a laptop. After looking at various websites and deciding on what I needed, which was not an all singing all dancing one just a basic no frills laptop.

 

went into town to have a look to see what was on offer in the shops and finally bought one with built in webcam,3gb memory,built in wifi, 320gb hardr drive, usb slots and memory card reader plus a super dvd writer. Shop I got it from had them for £279.99. Exactly the same one (apart from the colour) on the web in a certain shop £499.99 a saving of £220.00

 

It was a better spec than I had set my sights on after browsing the web and looking at the prices. All I need to do now is to figure out how to use it properly and the world is any shell fish of choice. Having a lot of fun trying to get used to the touch pad thingy and seem to spend a lot of time closing down windows that have opened by themselves, or so it seems to me.

[Dizzy]

I believe from my tutor at college that there are very strict conditions that apply to internet sales perhaps even stricter than the high street shops so you might be better protected on the web. And then there is the security of payment offered via your credit card.......

 

I never knew that (well I knew about the credit card bit but that's the same as using to buy in a shop).

 

The thing that puts me off buying over the web is the inconvenience of having to post the item back etc if it is faulty or not quite what you wanted etc when it arrives.

 

At least with a shop you can just walk in and exchange or get a refund.

 

My sister who lives away seems to do most of her shopping online and especially for pressies etc as she can have them posted straight to the person so it saves her postage costs too.

 

The only things I've ever bought on line are a few things from ebay and that's it really.

 

The fact that I do look online to compare shops,items and prices before going to buy my decided item probably does have a knock on effect for shops though as if I didn't do that I'd be more likely to actually visit and browse around all shops and others besides (in person) to find 'whatever'... and when I do that I always finish up buying things that catch my eye and that I don't really need.

 

Maybe I should start doing my food shopping online as that's the worst one for me when it comes to coming home with what I didn't actually go for

[reader]

I just get fed up of going to shops and them not having stock or saying they have to order.

 

Ordered an SD card last week on line arrived the following day post free.

 

That I could see none of the places where there was free parking around Warringon had the card capacity needed. Had I gone into town centre if I could find one, the unit cost would be higher and I would have to pay for parking increasing the price again

[asperity]

Since I got rid of my car, online shopping has been my saviour. Imagine having to carry all them bottles of booze home on the bus!! Joking aside, it is so much easier to walk around a supermarket online than in reality, and if you remember something half an hour later you can always log back in and change the order. Any supermarket chain wanting to pay me for my endorsement can find me via this forum!!! :wink: :wink:

[Peter T]

Supermarkets were the downfall of the High St shops plus greedy council banging the rates up.

As for the book shops, Waterstones seem to do that well that a Russian has bought the company. Supermarkets especially Tescos selling cheaper books didn't help matters and yes Amazon.

You can get anything you want on Amazon. Absolutely amazing.

I've just ordered the Arthur Haynes Show DVD (You have to be of a certain age to know who that is) from Amazon and it was several pounds cheaper than a mail order firm that had a leaflet in the paper. I don't think his stuff has ever been repeated on TV.

[observer]

It might help, if some TC shops actually employed sufficient check out staff - Mrs Obs was fuming about the queues on Saturday.

[Dizzy]

What's a TC shop Obs

 

I was in the local corner shop the other day and there was a slight queue as the elderly lady infront was a bit confused about how to use her switch card. She kept appologising but it was no big deal.

 

The bloke two behind me was fuming though so they opened another till. The next inline went to that as I was happy to wait.

 

That left MR WHINGEBAG behind me and the confused lady finally paid and departed so it was my turn. OOPS my card was being slow (apparently it was the machine not me) and then I forgot to ask for my lottery ticket so the girl had to cancel then add the ticket on.

 

Before I had a chance to pick up my bag of good MR WHINGEBAG threw his items down infront of me and shouted to the other customers "We'll be here all day at this rate" and he didn't even speak to the checkout girl once. He threw his money at her, got his change, and stormed out just as I was going through the door.

 

I wouldn't have served the idiot it I had been on the other side of the counter. Talk about rude, ignorant and having no patience whatsoever. I did actually say something to him as our paths crossed outside with a huge big 'friendly' smile on my face of course. I don't think he was very pleased but he did go a very deep shade of red.... ha ha I'm glad he was embarrased.

 

Muppet !! The little old lady heard what I'd said to him though and said I had made her day. She walked off giggling and that was really nice to see

[observer]

You mean there's more than one person slowing these queues down?!

[Dizzy]

Yep .... 'patience' Mr & Mrs Obs as it may well be me as usual

[Evil Sid]

So next time you see a grumpy shop assistant you will know why (grabs tin hat and heads for shelter)

 

Having worked in a shop I know what people can be like when a customer in front of them is holding them up from doing something really important, like watching corrie or Jeremy kyle. No matter what was said or how rude the customer was we had to be pleasant and polite. "the customer is always right" attitude, privately the customer shouild not be let out without supervision was the thought that often crossed my mind.

[observer]

Some folk go shopping for a day out, others to actually buy things - then get out.