Do you feel guilty about shopping on-line?

[Pfalz]

To the OP, do you feel guilty when you shop at a retail store since the delivery driver won't have work?

[Radical_Thinker]

I don't feel guilty when I shop online, as I'm forced to do so due to the complete lack of availability in the stores. Anybody been to the electronic emporium Fry's lately? That place used to be so much fun, and a complete terror to my wallet. Boy, I used to have some ugly CC bills from going there. These days, it makes me want to cry, there's nothing there I want to get. The store is empty. If I want something, I have to know I want it in the first place and then get it online, since there's no store in town that's going to have it.

Shopping is a chore - the fun's been wrung right out of it. Good thing is, I'm probably saving $3000 to $5000 a year by not getting things because I see them in the shops and "have to have it." I hardly ever go to the malls, or big box retail - I get far more enjoyment just going for a walk on the nature trail.

I was in Australia recently (yes, that money I don't shop with goes right to travel...lol) and boy, that was an eye-opening experience. The malls there are like ours used to be in the 1980's - all kinds of awesome stores and incredible variety. They were packed too. Same thing with the shopping districts in the CBDs of the big cities. Fun, fun, fun.

America truly sucks when it comes to in-store shopping.

[Roselvr]

I don't shop online that much. If I have to I make sure I know prices of buying locally verses online. I'm in an area with lots of stores so I can grab it much faster then waiting for online.

[tempratt]

Uhh now especially when it comes to buying music.
If I go to FYE ( or some other B&M music store) invariably there will be some stoner behind the counter that's never heard of what I'm looking for and doesn't bother looking.

Amazon likely has it and it's easy to find.

[Scooby Snacks]

Originally Posted by SkiScree

I feel guilty (maybe stupid is more accurate) when I pay retail on something then notice it online for considerably less money.

The smart local shops have opened their own online inventory to keep up with the .com boom.

Smart, or maybe stupid. They are doing themselves in that way. I take the trouble of going in the store looking to buy something. I ask the salesperson, "Excuse me, where can I find Item X?" "Sorry, that's only available online." So why did I come here? I'll just start by going to an e-tailer and not bother coming to the store at all. They have to pay all the overhead for retail stores just to keep a lot of their stock online only, and many disgruntled customers stop shopping there and go elsewhere. Or even worse, they only offer sales online and customers have to pay more for the same item in-store. Kohl's is bad about this.