Liz CA Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Do you buy primarily online or locally for gift items or anything other than groceries? Is it still less despite shipping charges or do you shop carefully for "free shipping" specials only? I need to get going on the Christmas lists and I am a very lazy shopper. Online appeals to me for so many reasons but then I always want to scream when they total up the shipping charges and I feel like I should have walked the mall for hours for a better deal - possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwmama Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Depends on the gift. I get photo calendars for the grandparents. It's cheesy but it's the only gift they all talk about how much they love it so I keep coming back to it after trying something else more expensive that they don't seem to care about. A lot of things for nieces and nephews I do with Amazon Prime because they are all on the other side of the country and it saves me the cost and effort of shipping it myself. The rest of our gifts are usually knit by me or bought on Etsy. I used to buy locally in WA but we moved to KY this year and I haven't found local stuff yet. I wouldn't consider myself a normal holiday shopper though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I buy everything online. Mostly from Amazon but also from a game store we like. Cool Stuff Inc I have wish lists going for the kids year round so on November 1st I figure out my budget, throw stuff in the cart, and then wait for it to be delivered. We have a table set up in the basement for art and for a week or two I take that over as my present wrapping station. I DETEST shopping and love to buy things online. I might pay more for a few things online but I don't have patience to hit three or four local toy stores to find what I'm looking for and the best deal. I also find that I spend a lot more if I'm wandering around a toy store looking at all the cool things. Everything from Amazon ships free for me because I've got prime and I wait to buy from Cool Stuff until I've got $100 worth of items to get their free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I shiopmostly online when I can get free shipping because it is almost always cheaper online. If I can't get free shipping I generally won't buy it because the costs are too high. Around this time of year so many places offer free shipping I just keep my eyes open for when they do. Shopping in store is rarely cheaper unless I happen upon things in the clearance bins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RForest Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Unless it's something I need pretty immediately (broken computer part, new piece of clothing for an event, etc) I shop almost entirely online. It's easier and as long as you get free shipping (amazon prime, or meeting minimum orders) it's usually cheaper. And it feels like a present every time something comes in! I use sites like Comparaboo to find good prices or just to get an idea of what the best products in a category are (like when i needed a vacuum but had no idea where to start since there's like 5000 options). they have buying guides for a few of the categories too. and then just look for coupon codes for discounts or free shipping on places like retailmenot. hjffkj's point about free shipping is spot on too - it might not be a bad idea to figure out the stuff you need to get, and start adding it to your shopping carts now, and then wait and see what kind of shipping deals show up. You might also just find that you have enough to meet the minimum shipping requirements anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I buy many untraditional gifts. I love online - as it really is easier for me. I hate going to stores. I always including shipping when figuring out costs. I've done a lot of amazon, and costco (online too this year.) - and a few things on ebay, which I haven't done for awhile. (but when looking for something out of production, that's the place.) I have amazon prime - but have a promotion where they'll give me a $1 to spend on books every time I foregoe two-day shipping. but if I really need something fast, I still have that two-day shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I buy many untraditional gifts. I love online - as it really is easier for me. I hate going to stores. I always including shipping when figuring out costs. I've done a lot of amazon, and costco (online too this year.) - and a few things on ebay, which I haven't done for awhile. (but when looking for something out of production, that's the place.) I have amazon prime - but have a promotion where they'll give me a $1 to spend on books every time I foregoe two-day shipping. but if I really need something fast, I still have that two-day shipping. I love that deal. I've been using it on Christmas presents and I'm saving the credits up to buy myself a kindle book. It's like a little present for mom. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I do shop locally when I'm in the mood. I want to be able to return things easily if I change my mind. There are things I can only get on Amazon or Newegg. I watch for best deals and free shipping. Target and Walmart both match each other ads and online prices as well as Amazon it takes a little pre planning for you have to go to customer service and they will verify prices online but I can go when it's least busy when I am out anyways. I like to get a couple things a week if I can. I now only ship for my children, dh, parents and my great niece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I buy as much online as I can. I shop a lot at Amazon and get free shipping. I don't mind paying shipping from other sites though. I never shop just for the fun of it. I always have a purpose so I consider the shipping to be a part of the necessary price. I'd rather do that then drive to multiple stores trying to find something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 For the holidays, mostly online. I use the Lightning Deals to buy things for friends' kids, nieces, nephews, etc. I am choosy about what I pick, but there are usually some great Lightning Deal options, and then it is easy to have it shipped directly to the recipient. I send some things to DH's work. They usually set up a "wrapping room" for employees because so many people ship stuff to the office, so sometimes DH will wrap there or brings stuff home in the trunk of his car. I like supporting local businesses but for the holidays, convenience often wins out for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Most non-food items I wish to purchase or give as gifts are not available locally, so I have no choice but to buy online. Every year the local chamber of commerce pushes for shopping locally, and I would love to - but they don't SELL the stuff I want. Shipping cost is less than driving to the city which is two hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 We live rural, and it's a pain to go Christmas shopping. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I do very little in store shopping since outside of Family Dollar, Walmart, Dollar General, and the local hardware, there aren't any other options unless I drive 45-60 minutes and fight traffic. This year we have very little shopping to do. My parents would like the extended family to not exchange gifts, give some of the money to charity, and use some of it to go to a hotel they found that has excellent rates over the holiday, two indoor pools, and a really nice Jacuzzi and sauna. I'm all for that. It would only be for one night, but in an area too with a public ski area that the boys can use very cheaply which will make them happy...well, not C. Who knows when he'll ever be on skis again. But, he can swim and loves to do so. Like Regentrude, due to the fact that local stores do not sell what we need...the last store that I could order pre-made up fruit baskets with delivery just went out of business...online is the way to go. I couldn't even get what I wanted when I chose thank you gifts for the EMS, fire departments, and state police posts that responded to our accident. There just simply wasn't anything available. We have only two florists now in the entire county and neither of them stock anything such as dried fruit assortments or anything like that. Proflowers is much more expensive than Amazon, so Amazon gets my business. I'd love to shop local, but generally outside of groceries from the only surviving supermarket in the county, personal supplies from the Rite Aid, toiletries from Walmart, hardware supplies, and occasional funeral flowers, I don't have any other choices. We did have one really nice country, gift store which attracted my business often, but the owner wanted to retire and closed without finding anyone willing to purchase the business. This happens a lot here because the banks are only very rarely making business loans and then only in super conservative dollar amounts. Even if I lived near our closest city, I am not certain how much shopping local I would be able to do. The stores there have had woefully poor selections as of late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Holiday gifts are usually online, especially now that my kids are all older. It is much cheaper, usually, for me to shop online and find a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I use Amazon Prime for all the gifts I send out to the nieces and nephews- that one task alone practically pays for the Prime membership as they're all over the country! It was even free to Hawaii when DBIL was stationed there. For most of the gifts we give in person, I go out and either shop the small, local shops OR follow my new rule that only the retailers that are closed for Thanksgiving will get my holiday shopping dollars. I stuck to that last year, and it was a little challenging, but more and more of the big guys are jumping on that bandwagon, so it should be easier for me this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Online I avoid malls at all cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 The added benefit with Amazon Prime is that I can ship to DD and hubby in NJ, nephew and wife in Maryland, and other nephew and wife in Oklahoma without angst. It's very expensive now to ship much of anything through USPS unless you can get it all to fit in a priority flat box. Given how small the $12.95 box is, that's not an option for very many items. I'd send far less and pay $39.00 to ship to those three. DD and hubby also have birthdays and other times of year, such as their anniversary, that we send gifts, and so Amazon Prime pays for itself each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I buy a mix of ways - locally, online, and also at special non-local places I might visit. My least favorite way to shop is at malls because there is nothing unique at malls, so I prefer odd out-of-the-way places or just online for sheer efficiency. I don't look for free shipping; I just look for a total lowest cost for the product, after taking into account the shipping, taxes, and item cost. IME, this often means free shipping is involved, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 For the holidays, mostly online. I use the Lightning Deals to buy things for friends' kids, nieces, nephews, etc. I am choosy about what I pick, but there are usually some great Lightning Deal options, and then it is easy to have it shipped directly to the recipient. I send some things to DH's work. They usually set up a "wrapping room" for employees because so many people ship stuff to the office, so sometimes DH will wrap there or brings stuff home in the trunk of his car. I like supporting local businesses but for the holidays, convenience often wins out for me. That is the most awesome free employee benefit EVER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Online saves me money because: it's faster; no crowds or traffic or weather; often the prices are better; I don't need to pay for gas; I don't need to see all those fluff things calling out to me which I had no intention of buying until I saw them; I don't need to find space in my car to bring them home; I don't need to have my kids shop with me or find other arrangements for them; I'm not forced to eat out as part of the shopping trip; I am far, far more likely to find what I'm looking for; price comparisons between vendors are a lot easier; and usually there are ways to avoid or minimize shipping costs. I think shopping in person is risky because there are so many factors that influence us to buy stuff we don't even want/need. OK, that can happen with online shopping too, but it seems worse when I go in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I usually go to the store(s) for last-minute stuff for the miscellaneous people (inlaws, outlaws) and anyone who is impossible to buy for. But this year my kids had a Petersen's Nuts fundraiser for their scout troop, so I just bought a bunch of nuts for the miscellaneous nuts. ;) Maybe I will be able to avoid the last-minute Walmart Walkthrough this year. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Unless shipping is ridiculous, I chalk it up to "Look at how much TIME and HASSLE I saved by ordering it online. " I mean, wouldn't you rather pay 14.95, just to avoid the hassle of shopping at the mall? I would! But Amazon frequently has free shipping over a certain amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I enjoy craft fairs and the little boutique at the farm stand. The mall is so much stress that I'd gladly play a bit more to avoid it. $3.99 is pretty standard for a book, and that's not enough to pay for a gallon of gas, much less a day of missed school and fast food for dinner because I wasn't there to soak the beans or knead the bread. Look at it as "bail money" if you need to. I used mail order catalogues before there was Amazon and ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 We do most of our shopping online but I do like to get out at least once during the season to get some small things. My daughter likes to shop, and while I don't, I enjoy the time with her if the shopping is not stressful -- meaning, I'm not searching desperately for some specific thing. I have enjoyed a walk around a beautifully-decorated mall or a quaint shopping district in a city. That is a good way to find special gifts too. Oh and a good excuse to stop for a cup of coffee. And my husband usually takes my kids out to get me something that I won't see on our Amazon account. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Mostly online here too. I love Amazon! I shop throughout the year and at a large consignment sale in the early fall, trying to keep costs low. I will need to make one run to a lovely small local bookstore and one to get a few stocking stuffers. I love the time and energy it saves to shop online. Then we can go to concerts, recitals and parties without feeling too rushed or overwhelmed by "to do" lists. My goal is to be done before Thanksgiving, except for Dh's extended family. They draw names at Thanksgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'd rather do Etsy than Amazon, but my dad has Amazon Prime and it's kind of become a tradition for us to shop together for 6yods with shared wishlists. He wants to be done before Thanksgiving too. This year I need to scale down, since both parents are too old for more nicknacks and are actively decluttering in preparation for moving from houses to apartments in retirement communities and my daughters need gift cards more than my impeccable taste in clothing and reading materials. :D It's also the first year my adult son has a significantly larger income than I do, so buying him socks and underwear seems kind of stupid and some sort of fancy homemade edible makes a lot more sense. Time for our festivities to grow and evolve along with our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Mostly shop online for things that need to be shipped, so I don't have that hassle and for things I know I'm going to buy and are a good price. I'll spend a day or two shopping for everything else, down in the "big city", with a friend. That usually means breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner out :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I do most of my shopping online, since the only stores we have in my town are a drug store, a Walmart, and a thrift store. Right now I'm just getting ideas. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I have Amazon prime and make good use of that during the holiday season. It is fabulous to have the free and fast shipping. I have several Amazon boxes piled up already. I hate malls and going to stores. I also do Kohl's online and buy enough to qualify for free shipping. They have some good deals around the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 I enjoy craft fairs and the little boutique at the farm stand. The mall is so much stress that I'd gladly play a bit more to avoid it. $3.99 is pretty standard for a book, and that's not enough to pay for a gallon of gas, much less a day of missed school and fast food for dinner because I wasn't there to soak the beans or knead the bread. Look at it as "bail money" if you need to. I used mail order catalogues before there was Amazon and ebay. I used catalogs extensively but even then the shipping cost always choked me up. There were a few places that had reasonable shipping IMHO. I am looking at Amazon Prime now. I wonder if it will work in reverse with me - will it entice me to buy more now that I have free shipping? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I have Amazon prime and make good use of that during the holiday season. It is fabulous to have the free and fast shipping. I have several Amazon boxes piled up already. I hate malls and going to stores. I also do Kohl's online and buy enough to qualify for free shipping. They have some good deals around the holidays. If Kohls ever started some sort of "spend $75.00 and we'll ship for free to more than one address" kind of online shopping, I'd be addicted. Our closest Kohls carries a very limited selection, but online is DA BOMB! It would probably be very, very bad for my pocketbook, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAmomof4 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I love shopping locally, but honestly most of the time I shop online - especially at Christmas time. (1) It's hard to find time to do a bunch of runs to toy/other stores WITHOUT the kids - so they don't see what I'm getting; I can shop online at night after they go to bed, while I'm in my PJs. (2) Usually you can find things online for exactly the same price as in-store, OR a little cheaper. Finding free shipping is not that difficult. and (3) which is a big one for me - I can have it all totaled up in my shopping cart and see what I'm spending before I hit "order." It's much harder for me to keep in my head what my running total is when I'm at the store buying a bunch of stuff. And it's mildly embarrassing after the cashier just rang up my $500 order, when I thought I was only spending $350, to try to figure out what I'm going to void off, with a bunch of cranky people in line behind me! Budget is pretty strict this year and I just find it much better to go the "online" route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAmomof4 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I used catalogs extensively but even then the shipping cost always choked me up. There were a few places that had reasonable shipping IMHO. I am looking at Amazon Prime now. I wonder if it will work in reverse with me - will it entice me to buy more now that I have free shipping? ;) I love my Prime, but be careful - sometimes Amazon offers the item in both a "Prime" and "non-Prime" version - and the Prime price is higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I do most holiday shopping on Amazon. I don't have prime. When I search I choose the setting for only items eligible for free shipping. Then, I make sure I done early enough that everything (which won't be much this year) gets shipped on time. I rarely find myself in a mall. I don't like aimless shopping. I often shop late at night because that's when I have time. If I end up ordering something that requires shipping it's likely that my time is more valuable than trying to find the item at various local shops and add in the costs of gas driving to more than one store trying to find "the" item, shipping usually isn't a bad deal in comparison. The exception would be an item that I could get at Target. Target's website can tell you if an item is in stock (sometimes this feature is inaccurate). So, I am not paying shipping on an item that Target has listed as in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Locally for local friends and online for presents I need to mail anyway. Usually there are free shipping days before Christmas so it's cheaper and less stressful than visiting USPS. Besides I still need to find a box to mail the gift in. My kids get their presents from Amazon from relatives. Its easy to hit the $35 minimum when my kids get their birthday and Christmas presents from in-laws in one Amazon box. Lego online free shipping is harder to hit the minimum amount and we have a Lego store a short drive away to shop at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I do 99% of my Holiday shopping online and I use amazon prime, wait for free shipping, or $5 shipping. That last 1% are the people I forgot about so I have to run out and buy something at the last minute. I absolutely detest shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artichoke Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 My shopping is mostly online with a few craft fair and local boutique gifts thrown into the mix. I also shop at the state museuem's gift shop where they sell pottery from local artisans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artichoke Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 D/p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 For out of town family, I'm just planning on using Amazon Prime for their gifts. Last year it ended up costing over $30 just to ship one box with gifts for two people. I said I wouldn't be doing that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I shop almost entirely online. 99% of the time, I use sites that have free shipping options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I shop mostly online, unless I have an urge to go shopping and some free time. I have Amazon Prime, and that helps. But I figure that my time has some value, and it does cost money to drive to the mall, etc. Also online things are always in stock--or if they aren't you know it immediately, not after you drove 30 mins to the store to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I really prefer to shop locally but during the holiday season usually get so frustrated with all the other shoppers that I end up ordering online so I don't have to face people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I love the idea of doing all my shopping locally and having the time to be out and about during the season seeing all the beautiful decorations and peacefully drinking my tea from our great local coffee shop as I'm out and about.....and then reality hits. I have a hard enough time getting my grocery shopping done. I have a bag of returns from various places that has been sitting by our backdoor since July. Also, my children mainly want things from the RR catalogue and with 4 of them, it's very easy to get free shipping. I will probably get a chance to go out one time with a friend to really enjoy the season the way I would like, but there's no way I would be able to get all my shopping done then. Usually I end up picking up a treat for myself or some unique hostess gifts from the local stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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