Buying local versus buying online; where do you draw the line?
Asked by
rojo (
24179
)
September 1st, 2015
I prefer to buy my things local and when possible from a smaller store and not a chain but sometimes the difference is too big to swallow. I priced up an item locally that is $840.00 plus tax. I can get it online for between $412.00 – $525.00.
For me this is too big of a difference not to purchase it online. A 40% plus markup for the same item is too big of a difference in my opinion.
Where do you draw the line? 10%, 20%, 32%? Or do you consider the dollar amount more than the percentage?
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5 Answers
We bought a tractor and the local guy was still 5k more even after shipping for the exact same brand new product. Just couldn’t swallow that much difference.
Smaller stuff is even easier because we have the benefit of having it delivered too.
I will buy local if there is a local store that is truly local.
I buy books and CDs on Amazon because the local bookstore I used to go to regularly went out of business, and the nearest book store is a national chain. There isn’t a place to buy CDs except Target.
But I prefer local stores for clothes (although not chain department stores).
No single answer – depends on how quickly i need it/want it.
For example, if I running out of ink for my inkjet printer, and I can see that ahead of time, I’ll do mail order because it’s about ⅓ the cost. If I’m in the middle of printing something important and it runs out, I’ll immediately drive to Office Depot and but a cartridge.
Another example: I buy most of my clothes mail order from Big and Tall shops. Last week I needed a particular pair of slacks. I could have waited 5 days for JC Penney to mail order them, and saved $30/pair. BUT I needed them that night. So I went to the local Casual Male store and paid full price, because they had the size I wear in stock, right then.
Final answer: It depends.
My work told us they would be buying us new work boots. We were told to go to a local shoe store, and try on the different shoes, and write down the size and make (from an approved list) that we wanted. The company would then acquire the boot, and send it to us.
That makes the local shoe store nothing more than a show room, which cannot turn a profit.
I hated the idea. I am glad I retired just as this was happening.
I’m happy to buy most things online if it saves me money and driving and interacting with humans in general.
I do not buy clothing or shoes online at all; my body proportions are too weird to allow for that. I also like to support local used-book stores and resale shops.
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