Are there items/products which will be cheaper in a real store? I know for a fact that most people believe that everything being sold online is cheaper but I have this hunch the belief isn't entirely accurate. Most products/items are cheaper online = √ But all of them? I doubt it. Do any of you know of products which either are cheaper in a real store or should just be bought in a real store just in case . . .
A lot of the time it ends up being more expensive to buy groceries online (plus, not getting to pick your own is a definite downside, in my opinion). Then there's the fact that cheaper or not, many people aren't really comfortable buying clothes online and dealing with the hassle if they don't look or fit like you'd expect. I agree that online isn't always cheaper or a better deal, but I wouldn't generalize it to certain items...it's just that sometimes there are better deals online and sometimes there's more going on in the store, and that goes for most things, really.
Groceries are cheaper in a physical store because of shipping. No one is going to mail you a can of corn for 59 cents plus free shipping, but you can get items like that cheaply in an actual store. The only cheap groceries I've ever gotten online were some ramen noodles from Amazon that were on sale and shipped for free as an Amazon Prime add on item. Someone on one of those mom blogs said that she gets cheap toilet paper from Amazon by using Subscribe and Save and the discount from the Amazon Mom program.
I would buy clothing online that I know I can return if it doesn't fit properly. I would never buy expensive electronic equipment (eg TV, computer, DVD player) online because I like to see what I am buying in person and I like expensive end stuff. And returning items is such a hassle some people don't bother even if they are not 100% satisfied with the product. And food would just be a waste of money because the weight of the delivery itself would result in huge shipping charges. And grocery stores have all kinds of deals and discounts and I have my own membership card to Pathmark which saves me money on most things I buy.
I buy everything online. Clothes, jewellery, plants, groceries, electronics, furniture, services, subscriptions, collectables, music, games, shares, phones, utilities, credit cards, pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, instruments ... the list could keep going. I like to do this as I can compare and find the best deals from all over the world. Shipping sometimes makes it hard, but if you look around enough you can overcome this. For example, grocery delivery times very early or late are cheaper than the cost of driving and parking. I even purchased a car online once! The only thing I avoid online is anything that looks like a scam.
Electrical apparatuses that are very much commercialized as the best thing ever in infomercials. I got screwed over buying an electrical shaver once and it was one of the worst purchases I've ever made. Cost a decent amount of money, completely worthless. Blades too far from the net, went blunt very quickly, discharged very fast, worst part you looked like you didn't shave at all after using it. Complete garbage.
I try to and buying she's online as much as possible because I like to actually try them on before buying them. I think it's best to see what they look like on me before purchasing because they might look good n pictures but not on me. Also, on the off chance that it might not fit that well, it would be too much of an effort to have it returned whereas if I bought it in a physical store I could be a lot more sure before I make my purchase.
I have never bought any groceries online. I have friends in Germany who order exotic fruit from Thailand once a week, and tell me that it's more economical than buying it locally. Also, apparently, it tastes a lot better. Personally, I have a lot of doubts about buying food products online, unless it's a specific health food that I require. And even then, I would only order from companies that I know and trust. As for saving money, I think it's probably a lot cheaper to go and check out your local farmer's market instead of ordering things online. It will be faster, cheaper, and probably fresher as well.
It depends on who is selling it. I am very cautious with sellers from China because I have been burned too many times with wrong item, bad quality, wrong size, didn't give me the right measurements ect. If you are buying from overseas be careful because it's not worth returning it if it's not right. I would not buy food items online personally except perhaps something like canned sauces where it's non-perishable. I like to know that the food I am getting is really good and fresh. Other than that I don't think there are many things you shouldn't buy online if you already know what it is you are looking for and know your size well.
Unless you're shopping on Amazon with Prime shipping, then you'll often pay more for online goods compared to goods purchased in-store. This is especially true for products that already don't cost that much. You'll find savings when you purchase bigger ticket items, such as electronics and televisions. If you can find great sales online, then you could definitely save some money. It just depends on what price you can find and where you can find it - online or offline.
It kind of depends on what you're looking for, but generally the only thing I absolutely won't check online prices for are clothes and shoes, because I want to be sure they fit me exactly right. And I don't think it's worth the shipping hassle if the shoes or piece of clothing doesn't end up fitting. For pretty much everything else, I stick with shopping online. Even for bigger purchases, I'll go into stores to check the product to make sure I like it (Like a new computer) and then buy it online. Often times, the store will match the online price as to not lose your business. That's what happened with me on the last laptop I bought.
