One of the claims made about buying stuff on the internet is that it saves you time. Am I alone in thinking that is nonsense? To take a recent personal example, I needed a new tool bag. After working out roughly what I wanted, I did a search and started looking at the results. Nothing quite matched what I needed, so I broadened my search parameters, and off I went again. Found loads of stuff that almost matched, some really interesting stuff that is not avaialble in the UK, some stuff that was brilliant, but way too expensive (£200 on a tool bag? really? who buys this stuff?)
I also got sidetracked looking at other related stuff that I might want in the future (filed the link)/would love to have but don't need/would love to have but can't afford/would love to have but can't afford or justify or buy here (I mean, come on, who doesn't want to own one of these: http://www.gerstnerusa.com/)
Finally decided on what to get, then had to work out who sold it the cheapest - taking into account shipping, which takes a while to find out - and VAT (if not added).
And so, hours and hours later - literally - I spent £8.48 on a bag. It'll come sometime next week (and I will miss the delivery, have to ring to rearrange, and end up picking it up myself from the courier's office). And not having actually seen it in the flesh and handled to see if I really liked it, it probably won't be what I need/want, so I'll have to get something else.
In the old days I would have gone to the builders merchants, seen what they had, bought the one that was closest match, and been perfectly happy. It may have cost a little more (but not necessarily) and would have taken 5 minutes while I was buying some 2x4.
Now, this may be a bit of an extreme example given the price I paid in the end, as I wouldn't normally bother with all that research for an item under a tenner - but as I expected to spend £20-£30, I will undoubtedly go through all that again looking for the next thing that I need over £20.
Is this just me, or do any of the rest of you do this? Is it really the case that the truth about saving time by buying on the internet is: It takes you longer?
And now I''ve spent more time writing about it. Damn.
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Replies
I sell online but try to get the customer to either visit us or talk to me on the phone so I can try to get it right.
Getting found by people trying to search for our products is probably the greatest challenge.
I buy just about everything on the internet........ even looking at Russian Brides following an email I just received!!!
Fortunately, my missus (not Russian) is at home during the day so can receive the parcels though I get a grilling about what I've bought!
Why is it Andy, that picture of you makes me think you might have been a car salesman in a previous life!!
lol first off you didnt post the link to the gold plated tool kit aswell :-)
but what a chest
i would compleatly agree the internet will take you at least 10x longer to find something even though you know exactly what you want because there is always some thing which gets you side tracked BUT and a big one, you are given the chance to see what the whole world has to offer and yes it may take longer to come but in the end it is all very worth it
and you now know what your going to buy the day you win that lotto draw
ah a online time saver = tesco online is a life saver talk about time saveing all your stuff is in the fav list that you always buy takes me 3 min to do our family shop no draging all the kids round with us and pulling wife away from the smellys pluss i dont have to play bumper cars with the people who go there for a nice chat blocking the isles
as for the reast of the net ebay amazon all of them give you the chance to get a bargin aswell or even get a clue to what you actualy are looking for and then of to google to start the browsing and time wasting (all seems counter productive now owwww)
Right, that's it, I'm looking for a new profile photo.
To answer a few points:
I thought about a courier box, but a lot of stuff I order won't fit (like the freezer coming next week). Most couriers will leave stuff if I'm not in - especially the regulars - but there are always one or two who want to be difficult.
I buy most of my books online, but I miss going into a bookshop for a browse. Doing that has led me to a lot of great stuff I would not have found otherwise (similarly music in the old days when I would try stuff out on the basis of the cover art).
Tescos is another matter. I can't bring myself to order food online as, like plants, I need to see and feel what I am buying before purchase. The thought of someone else deciding which individual fruit and veg, meat or fish I want is several steps too far for me. Besides which, I love buying food - it's like recreation for me.
And it doesn't matter if I buy something online or at a shop, I always run into Rowly's imaginary mate Sid who has just bought something better than mine for a lot less than mine cost (and they threw in a free car). That is a law of life.
Geoff Norfolk said:
The trouble with the www is that it's grown exponentially. Not so many tears ago when buying on line was a new concept, a Google search for any information (for shopping or just info) brought up a relatively short list of stuff, but nowadays, there's so much info on there, you get swamped with irrelevance.
If you think it's tough in UK (assuming you limit your shooping results to .co.uk) you should try looking for just items or info available on sites ending with .es. The results are totally pathetic. They just haven't got the hang of it over here.
That having been said, I don't suppose many of you would bother trying ;-)