It's a double-edged sword. I rarely shop online because I live in a retail mecca. But I see more and more Amazon prime and other delivery trucks out. Stores just don't have the incentive to carry as much stock anymore. This is the evolution of our marketplace.

Brick and mortar stores have had to evolve or die. We probably shouldn't even call them 'stores' anymore. They used to be places that stored one type of goods (groceries, dry goods, etc.). Some became 'department stores' offering all kinds of things. Back then, a portion of stock that didn't sell was consigned to places like TJMaxx. (It's been at years since I found a gorgeous piece of apparel from a high end store at TJMaxx.) Many those stores have folded, and the rest are not ordering an article in sizes 2 - 20.)

Today, I see flyers telling me to "Order online for store pickup." They aren't going to stock it, but they will bring it in for me to see/try on/buy/return. Maybe I'll see something else while I'm there and buy it: Impulse buying.

Will Amazon revive the street peddler business, hawking goods from the truck that comes to my door? (Probably not. Nobody's home.)

Boy can I relate. I always enjoyed walking through stores to see what was around. Very occasionally I would actually buy something, but often I would "handle" things, maybe try on, look for the better item or deal. I have found it super frustrating and agree with you. I find often that even if the store has the item I want, it's not in my size or color. For clothing I pretty much need to try it on at least for size and then I can have a decent chance (hello quality control) at ordering it online in my desired size and color.

I do browse a LOT online, but somehow it does not usually end in a sale for me.

I have been looking for new bedding in my master bedroom for example. The one I have I bought about 30 years ago from SPIEGEL. Now even with that set, I am pretty sure I saw the pattern at least in person to know the colors would work and then ordered it. I don't even know where to look let alone FIND it.

OklaMoni- that is so correct. So, when I see something (on those very rare occasions, I know I need to purchase it and then I can re-consider once it's in my possession. If I return to buy it, it will be gone.

Moni, absolutely right. If I see something even close to what I like I sometimes buy it. I rarely go shopping anymore for just that reason. If looking for a particular item, I feel like I am wasting my time going from store to store looking for it. It is so much easier to use filters and try to find it online. The downside is often colors can be very deceiving, especially on some sites.

People blast Amazon because it is putting stores out of business not understanding that many of the things seen on Amazon are from those stores. Friday I purchased a new coffee maker that uses small water filters. You would think BB&B would have had the filters but no was told to go to Amazon. I did last night and already this morning received a picture of the package on my steps.

One thing I am seeing is more grocery stores and one of our local dairy's doing home delivery.

Clothing which is something I do currently need like many women I need to try it on and sadly what I see in most of the stores in this area are simply not something I want to put on my body. Wrong cut. Wrong colors since many appear to have been dipped in black ink then not washed enough to remove all of the ink.

Other than food, I rarely shop for anything specifically. So it really doesn't matter if I shop online or in person at a brick and mortar store. There is one clothing retailer I frequent that only has an online presence but I know the brand well and the fit so have no concerns about ordering sight unseen :-)

Otherwise, if I am in the area, I only shop at places like Home Goods, TJMaxx, Marshall's or Nordstrom's Rack. If I see something I like (or think I need), I'll pick it up - towels, linens, household/kitchen items, shoes, pet stuff, etc. I refuse to pay full retail price for just about anything.

I tried ordering a paisley fleece throw online @ JCP. It was out of stock, but when I walked into the store....there it was. But the long cardigan sweater I wanted was only on sale online. I saved $47 by ordering it.

I've used the grocery delivery to your car @ Thanksgiving. When buying a large turkey and fixings it worked pretty well.

I still mostly second hand shop. I know it's not fashionable but I find most of the things I need. I just wash very well and put in the dryer for extra-long and it's ready to go. I've never had much luck with mainstream stores anyway particularly when I was much heavier but also my taste seems to run to eclectic shall we say. I know I am very unfashionable. It does take a lot of love for the product for me to spend retail prices often as well.

For the weekly groceries I definitely phone in and get them to deliver it to my car. I didn't for the turkey fixings this time so not sure how that will work for me but we'll try it at Christmas.

A lot of stores carry less and less in their B&M locations. I wanted a certain toaster, it showed up online at BB&B, so I went to get it at the closest store. Sorry, we have to order it for you (altho free shipping and I could use a coupon).

Same at Home Depot and Lowe's. We recently did some remodeling, and sink, disposal, faucet, toilet, bathroom pedestal sink were all on Lowe's of HD websites, but not in the stores and had to be ordered. PITA.

I'm not surprised that the malls are doing so poorly and I have been ordering online happily for years. Stores today don't seem to know how to choose stock. Here's a recent example of two everyday items not found in stores, ladies bed slippers and half-slips - I've had to go online to order both.

For people like me, who detest malls and shopping, buying online is fantastic and I have done so for years. I even purchase shoes online. Most places allow you to print out foot measurement templates prior to purchase and every pair I've ordered has been a perfect fit.

I do still draw the line at grocery shopping. That, I don't mind and I like to pick out produce in person.

I love both kinds of shopping. But as someone with, um unique tastes, I really love online shopping. The problem (for me) with brick and mortar stores is that their limited capacity means that their inventory will cater to the masses. I never would have found my pink kitchen appliances in a store. They only have room for black, stainless and red for the daring shoppers. (To be fair, all my pink frying pans and utensils were at TJ Maxx,not anymore, but they WERE) Forget all my lovely heart shaped items. And as for things like bedding, again,the selection is limited and usually generic and boring in a store. I do buy clothes and shoes online at stores with good return policies. SO is 6 foot 4 or 5 and skinny and there are no regular stores around here that sell clothes that fit him correctly. Amazon is my go to for him. And for me really. I buy my work pants at JC Penny online. But a lot of other things I get off Amazon. The size charts and buyer reviews are usually sufficient for me to order the correct size. I think I have only had to return one item of clothing in all my time buying online. It was a pair of jeans that was ridiculous,size wise. I mean, I know that sizes vary by brand but I actually LAUGHED when I opened the package.....

I think online grocery shopping is great. There are a lot of people that either cant physically shop for themselves and used to have to burden other people with the task or simply lack time. I am surprised it took this long to catch on. But I even love grocery shopping. So for that I will likely always choose to go to the store.

I used to love to shop, especially at the home stores, but I ran in to the same problem. Home Goods is notorious for having different stock at different stores and I’ve driven to all of them in our area (6 or 7) just to find a complete set of whatever it is I’m looking for. Last time it was rugs as well.

I won’t buy that kind of stuff online though, especially from Amazon because you really don’t know what the quality will be or if it’s even a match to what you really wanted. I will wait it out instead and just keep checking around until I find what I need. What I’ve found helpful is that the larger dept stores can tell you on their site if somethings in stock...if it’s a smaller mom & pop type shop, I’ll just call instead to inquire before I driving there.

I don’t care for grocery shopping at chain stores where the store brands are IMO, pushed onto customers and the good stuff is always out of reach (for short people like me), but as long as I’m able to do it, I doubt I’ll ever opt to use a shopping service. I like going to smaller privately owned farmer markets or fresh stands instead. They have better prices and better quality.

I would love to live in an area that the farmers markets were cheaper than the stores I go to. In this area there are two major grocery wholesalers that supply food to most of the stores be they chains or independents.

I have seen that it's possible to order from Walmart or some grocery stores here online and the person can just drive up and get their order and I think that's wonderful for people who are in bad health or elderly. But unfortunately a lot of older people not only don't know how to order online or have access to the internet service to do it - they don't even have a smartphone or a computer to do it with. And they are on fixed incomes and can't afford it anyway. So I think if anything can be done to get these people fixed up with the technology that they need is a good thing. When I go to the store, especially Walmart, I get so depressed at the people I see there, in riding carts, or on walkers or using canes, what an enormous effort it must be for them just to get in the car and drive there, much less get out, get into the store, do their shopping and get home. So many times I have asked a person in a riding cart if they need assistance, especially when I see them just sitting there looking up as if it would be such an effort to try to stand up and reach for something up high. Maybe I need to start a volunteer program in the stores for assisting this sort of thing? Only thing is, I have a short patience fuse - the first time I ran across some old grumpy person I'd probably get run out of the place. LOL! Reminds me of one the Seinfeld episodes. LOL!

Lukki Irish....I've done that. Kohl's had one Vera Wang bath sheet @ 1 store and another matching at another store. $10 for 2! Totally worth the drive across town. Then Home Depot had the latest plush rug, 1 @ one store, 1 @ another store.

I grocery shopped today. Spent $75, saved $73. They had $10 + $5 + 5% off your total/off a $50 purchase, then coupons & sales on everything I purchased. If I'd used the deliver to the car or home option, the discounts weren't available.

I can hire a caregiver for $20 an hour and have her push me through innumerable stores and find nothing, or I can order online. I choose to do the later.

I now do clothes as well. I tend to buy the same things over and over again, sometimes in a different color so I know they fit. Every now and then I take a leap of faith - will be returning the two sweaters I bought from Tuckernuck that looked so nice but didn't fit and were scratchy, on Mon. Doesn't happen very often.

I order just about everything online these days. I do buy small hardware items at the small, locally owned hardware store where DGS2 works part time - I get a 30% discount as a "family member" and I want to support this store. And they have, or can order nearly anything!

I order many things online, especially birthday and Christmas presents. I ordered 5 little toys from Amazon for our new grandson a month ago. One has not arrived yet. I had no way of knowing, but the late delivery notice tells me it is coming from China. If I had known that, with our political situation, I would not have ordered it. I wish Amazon would indicate where the item is coming from because I am concerned about this year's Christmas presents arriving on time.

As Maifleur said, a lot of products on Amazon are from brick and mortar stores AND at better prices than from that store. An Amazon order arrived with an Office Depot label and I paid less than Office Depot was selling it for. I work full time and have a lengthy commute, so I covet what little time I can call my own. I placed 197 orders at Amazon in 2018 and many orders at various other online stores. I haven't resorted to ordering groceries online yet and don't intend to, but I am grateful for the convenience and prices online offers.

Do sales taxes apply?

Your state/province? Or is the transaction said to occur at the seller's location (if one can know where that is)?

ole joyful

Joyful, my emailed confirmations include tax, it's referred to in a separate line between the price of the item and the total as "estimated tax" although I don't really know why it's called that. Since my zip code is included in my account information I'm assuming that they have all that data built into their database and it generates the proper amount of tax for each sale.

Ok, so I was wanting a small glass bottle, for about 2 oz or less. Looked all over online, but mostly could only find it in boxes of 12. YIKES, I only want one. Finally found it at containerstore.com Got on my bike, rode 2 miles, bought one and came back home. Same day delivery... without using gas.

LOL

Moni

I love shopping online and also get my groceries delivered to my home and the driver puts them on the kitchen table. I order all the heavy items that way because I hate carrying all the bags in from the car. I actually like shopping in the store but hate the carrying part. My husband is handicapped and can't help with the carrying or shopping nor can he drive. I still buy my clothes at the store because I am very hard to fit and I need to try everything on. I do love to walk around stores like Homegoods and look at all their beautiful things but find it difficult sometimes to find what I am looking for. I like having the option to use Amazon and order online!

Thanks for the info re identification for sales tax purposes, ritaweeda.

As local factories/stores close ... don't pay property tax, so in addition to house prices increasing in major cities, the residential property taxes will increase as well.

Local and major newspapers, who hired professional journalists, are dying as advertising dollars flow to silicon valley. The press gallery at our legislatures are a shadow of their former selves ... and many claim that their oversight, keeping the politicians' feet held near the fire, helped keep them more careful about their actions.

When I pointed out to a helper at the recently-installed check-out machines at a local grocer that those machines don't pay income tax, as she and I do, she agreed. So - who'll be paying for roads and bridges, schools and for some, hospitals, in our brave new centralized world?

When a manufacturer mechanises (often, after some crying, with government help) to get the same amount of production that was earlier done by 500, now by 50 (or 5) ...

... apart from the income tax that the corporation may be paying, the goverment(s) lose 90% of the income taxes formerly paid by their employees.

Even more if the manufacturer sources goods from suppliers in low wage/low safety standard areas, or sets up their own supply systems there, or gets into joint ventures.

Since after World War II we in the increasingly rich world have understood that our kids'd be better off.

Only a part of young folks maturing in our part of the world today share that view, I think.

ole joyful

Re: Shopping challenges. We donate to an area food depository that has just started offering timed pick-ups for the people who use the food pantry. A person can call and order from what's available; chose a pick-up time; drive up and have the groceries loaded into his car. Some clients are handicapped. Some are working three jobs and have even less time than the rest of us. This not only serves their needs better, It's more efficient for the volunteers. People aren't lining up and waiting during the limited hours the food pantry is open, not even knowing what will be available for them once they get inside. The pantry sees a lot of families with children...and veterans.