genuinegirly

Do you love it or do you avoid it?
Prefer shopping online to store shopping

What are your reasons for doing so?
want to find the cheapest price, or want to compare specs from many retailers at the same time

What sites do you prefer and why?
I usually check Amazon first because it's easy to search for what I need, and I usually have a gift card for Amazon. But then I'll do a google search on the item and see where else I can find it.

Is there anything that convinced you to buy something when you normally wouldn't? (Evil question, I know.)
Only considered it when Amazon logged my interests and showed me a book that I'd been thinking about but hadn't searched for. Didn't buy it, but it sure was tempting

Are there any website features that you enjoy that help you shop?
A functional search feature. When clothes shopping, accurate size charts are essential. Dimensions are a must on furniture, vase, glassware, appliance, lamp, etc. Also, it's handy when I can change the item into all colors available

How do you research what you are going to buy?
depends on what I'm looking for. For something like a hand lens, I ask a few people in the herbarium which one they use, then I look online for the best price on that lens. If I'm looking into clothes, shoes, linens, kitchen stuff, and just about anything else, I'll find as many reviews as possible and read. I also like to read the reviews on who's selling. I will choose a more expensive option if the cheaper one has significant bad reviews.

What kind of products do you buy?
Clothes, kitchen do-dads, gifts, books, books, and more books.

What's the most "personal" (something that you're picky about and usually need to check out in person before you buy) item that you've purchased online?
Shoes. I was shocked when they fit.

One more question: Would you consider buying from a store that you only come across with a search engine? That means you've never heard of the place, but they have what you want and have a decent site. Not a million bucks, but decent.
Yes. I've bought from such sites before. I have to spend more time dinking around on it, to be convinced that it's legit and secure.

I tend to make every substantial purchase online, but I still enjoy walking into stores occasionally. I like the fact that with online shopping, I'm not required to walk into a store every time I need a book or a mosquito netting, or whatever else I randomly seem to require.

I don't like it when a website shows me a bunch of pretty flash/video stuff with models rather than a straight-up catalog. Sure, that video stuff is nice sometimes, but I immediately leave the site if I'm not given the option to bypass and search for what I'd like.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy