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Why is this thread in the Politics and Controversies section? It's not really about either subject, and there is an identical thread going in Current events also.
I love Amazon Prime--it is a really good deal for shipping and includes Amazon tv. You can buy anything and have it two days later. It is never more expensive than the retail stores and usually cheaper.
Work full time and it is a total time-saver. Just one example--we have birds, and they will only eat a certain brand of seeds. Spent one Saturday going to three different pet stores looking for it, and then thought of Amazon. Went online--easy to find on Amazon--had it two days later. Nothing beats the convenience. I also use Amazon for electronics and electronic accessories, specialized shampoo, soap, etc. Only clothes brands and sizes I already know.
I hate spending weekends wandering around malls and don't like crowds much, since there are usually crowds there, I assume other people are still shopping in stores.
Is shopping around for cheaper insurance rates dishonest also?
Consumers attempting to save money should be heralded, not labeled using your odd logic
Here is the flaw in YOUR logic. My company pays me a wage, they pay the rent on the building, they pay for the lights and ac, and they stock the store with products. If you come in and pick my brain, take up my time, soak up our ac, and then only use us for information, then go somewhere else, you are being somewhat of a "user".
I will help anyone out and go out of my way to find them the answers to their problem, but I also remember the "users" and "tire kickers" who come in and use us only as a research tool, with no intention of buying from us. Sometimes I will spend a half hour with a customer, educating them, and they use us to only help them find a better price on line.
If you want to herald users, that is the thing I have an issue with.
The thing about knowledgeable sales people: I agree. Radio Shack will soon be a thing of the past in part due to 1) people don't seem to build things themselves (electronically) as before, and 2) as a cost-saving measure Radio Shack apparently quit hiring people that knew their stuff. Just high school squirts that know nothing about much of anything. Back in the early 1970s I went to Radio Shack for all sorts of odd parts for our television set, radio, etc.
Radio Shack was aimed at the repair and hobbyist markets. Now fewer electronics need repair and hobbyists have moved to online forums/communities and can wait a few days for specialized parts or gadgets.
Radio Shack was aimed at the repair and hobbyist markets. Now fewer electronics need repair and hobbyists have moved to online forums/communities and can wait a few days for specialized parts or gadgets.
They also began hawking cell phone plans to the extreme. My son applied at RS and had to go to a sales associate training session. Literally 100% of it was how to sell cell phones. A very large percentage of the pay was based on commission. It sounded like in person telemarketing.
Radio Shack is a perfect example of a company that did not reinvent themselves to keep pace with the times. Sears is another. It has been probably 20 years since I went into a Radio Shack for anything, and I only go to Sears when I absolutely can not get out of it, like to return a broken tool.
They also began hawking cell phone plans to the extreme. My son applied at RS and had to go to a sales associate training session. Literally 100% of it was how to sell cell phones. A very large percentage of the pay was based on commission. It sounded like in person telemarketing.
Phones were failed attempt to stay relevant. Why buy an ATT or Verizon plan or phone at Radio Shack you can buy direct from the source - online or in-store?
Me? I'm old school and I still wanna touch and feel a product before i buy it. Even if it's a toaster or a microwave. Not big on online shopping unless it's something that i can't readily get from a local store.
It really depends on the item. I do not buy wearing apparel online. I want to see the colors and textures myself, and most important of all, to actually try the stuff on.
Things I have already tried out, and found that I liked, like certain pet supplies, I will happily buy online, as the site I use is usually cheaper, offer a wider selection of the items I want than even "big box" stores, and have wonderful customer service. I also buy from a regional chain, with wonderfully trained employees. Both have outstanding return policies and support local shelters. I get bulk stuff from the online site, and individual cans or small items from the local store, and would hate to be without either one.
I would have no issue at all with ordering household cleaners, paper products, etc., online. I pick those things on cost alone.
I would not get an appliance online. I want someone to come install it, and fix it if it breaks. I feel kind of the same way about electronics, but that is more an issue of wanting to actually see the screen or hear the speakers firsthand.
Books I usually get from the library. If I want to own a copy, I try to find it used at a local thrift, library sale, or get it on Amazon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack
And every day there are more and more hypocrites showrooming*, totally unfair to retailers. They deserve to lose the brick-n-mortar option, and many will complain about store closings even though they helped the demise.
* Looking at merch at a brick-n-mortar and then buying online, some people do it intending to buy online all along. Pure BS.
People have done things like this for ages. I used to work at a locally owned pet store, and one of our greatest frustrations was with people who would come in, ask a lot of questions, usually about how to properly set up an aquarium or take care of a reptile they wanted but knew nothing about, take up hours of our time, and then leave, saying they could get the equipment and animals cheaper at (fill in the blank.)
A few weeks later, they would be back, having ignored our advice, complaining bitterly about how it all went wrong, and asking us how to fix the problem. Then, often, they would leave again, looking for the cheaper deal. My boss finally started dealing with such people by telling them to go back to (fill in the blank), and ask them.
Researching a purchase prior to shopping is smart. Going to a store, taking up employees' time pumping them for information, only to shop elsewhere, is rude. Lots of the information is either available to anyone willing to look for it, or simply a matter of common sense. Example: "What can I keep with pirhana?" "Dinner."
Quote:
Originally Posted by katzpaw
A benefit of (many) online sites is that you can read real customer reviews and not just get salesman BS.
The same reviews can be used when shopping in a store. I do it all the time. I prefer to get at least some reviews from independent sites, not the people who are selling the item in question.
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