eBay & the Internet killed the High Street

[Ashley Burton]

I don't know about everyone else, But I've stopped bothering to use High Street shops if I'm not in any major rush.

I generally find what I need at a click of a button

Sadly local shops just can't compete & I do try to use local, But its got to the stage I'm giving up trying!

Anyone else feel the same?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I don't know about everyone else, But I've stopped bothering to use High Street shops if I'm not in any major rush.

I generally find what I need at a click of a button

Sadly local shops just can't compete & I do try to use local, But its got to the stage I'm giving up trying!

Anyone else feel the same?

Spent 8 years on Jersey.
Got fed up with being passed from shop to shop to find what I want and ended up ordering online exclusively.
If I'm in a hurry and can find it locally il pop out but anything I know will be tricky. ...

Building materials are mostly off the shelves though for obvious reasons

 

[Richiew]

It's just a very inefficient way to buy stuff unless you are after clothes that you need to try on. I'm saddened the way high streets are going but it's just one of those things.

 

[Ashley Burton]

I remember many years ago we had a local hardware store which had loads of odds & sods. Also everything was pennies & not rounded pound figures!

 

[Richiew]

Councils never seem to learn either. Parking charges can end up similar to or more than on line postage. Might as well stay at home and order online. Spend enough and they will post for free. ( I know postage is wrapped up in the item cost but even that is usually cheaper than the High Street!)

 

[Welderpaul]

Me and my Mrs have been having the exact same conversation today, been shopping for a few specific things today - had a look in the high street shops - either not in stock, right size not available or useless service. Came home and bought what we needed, having seen what we needed to see in the shops - but saved roughly 15% on each. All for shopping on the high street, and it does have its advantages, but the internet does take some beating!

 

[Ashley Burton]

Also with Nectar Points on eBay I'm getting goods at a competitive price & I'm getting a further reward with Nectar! Talk about no brainer

 

[zzr1200]

If theres a decent engineering supplier locally I'll happily support them if they hold stock.

I also have a problem with a supplier who wants me to pay for an item in full before he will order it, a deposit is ok.

Ordering via the internet can generally be cheaper but the quality of the item can be low if the item is a clone.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Sister in law went to Currys or PC world or whatever they call themselves now to buy a laptop and dyson...sorry madam they are not in stock and they wonder why people are not bothering.

I use AO online for anything electrical now, good prices, brilliant service and after service and even the delivery process is a pleasure to use.

My daughter bought a hoover off them and two days before the guarantee ran out a clip broke, one phone call and a new hoover dropped off next day.

 

[brightspark]

what normally happens is u go down the town to look at the goods u fancy in shops get the price then order of internet very good but before long the shops are closing down and u wont have anywhere to look at goods and compare prices . that's life so don't complain when it happens

 

[wristpin]

When it comes to nuts and bolts etc my local town, Ashford, Kent is metric only and then in packets. Local agricultural engineers have gone the same way with dusty poorly stocked bins. Simply not worth a 20 mile round trip when Wentin Fasteners in Yeovil, Somerset supply by return.

 

[123hotchef]

its the parking and parking charges that make me not go to the high street! i have never used my thousands of nectar points i guess i should

 

[keithski122]

Normally buy lots from interweb but wife and daughter needed new wetsuits so bought locally.Probably paid a bit more but good advice, could try them on and got a £20 trade in on a previously bought childs wetsuit.Unfortunately this kind of service from the main shops in town isn't the norm.
I live 1.5 miles from town for all of us to bus in (house is on bus route) costs £14 for 2 adults and 2 children (cheaper to drive out of town and use park and ride!), parking is normally a few quid.On my own I normally walk or cycle but prefer to get stuff delivered.

 

[Parm]

I’m very old fashioned, I still use the high street. I like to look feel and touch before spending monies

 

[Welderpaul]

I’m very old fashioned, I still use the high street. I like to look feel and touch before spending monies

That's the thing - you can go and touch/feel in the high street, then buy the same thing cheaper on the internet. Of course, nothing beats walking straight out of the shop with it rather than wait for 24hr postage

 

[Allthegearnoidea]

What annoys me most is that most tools have been built down to such a low price that the old quality tool maker have all gone out of business. I would happily pay twice the price over the tat that’s sold now. I even remember when B&Q used to stock quality tool lines. Now it’s just crap.

 

[TechnicAl]

I’m very old fashioned, I still use the high street. I like to look feel and touch before spending monies

me too..........ive bought stuff off the internet and its been crap.....but the photos were excellent

however, it is so much easier and usually cheaper

 

[addjunkie]

I come from a family independant tv buisness. My old man told us in the 70s go do something else, the high street is dying, shopping centers will kill us...things move on the internet is killing the shopping center. But sadly the progress is also killing communities, the fruit shop employed 2 or 3, the butcher and the baker the same. Local garages etc too

Now shopping centers or large supermarkets are an impersonal experience where you can do a weeks food shop and not actually interact with people.

Tis all quite sad. God I must be getting old. But what really winds me up is when I go to the bank, 40 mile round trip to get my cash out of my account and they tell me I need to order anything over 2000 as they dont keep that much out the safe, and no one uses cash any more.its all on line....and they call it service improvement

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I come from a family independant tv buisness. My old man told us in the 70s go do something else, the high street is dying, shopping centers will kill us...things move on the internet is killing the shopping center. But sadly the progress is also killing communities, the fruit shop employed 2 or 3, the butcher and the baker the same. Local garages etc too

Now shopping centers or large supermarkets are an impersonal experience where you can do a weeks food shop and not actually interact with people.

Tis all quite sad. God I must be getting old. But what really winds me up is when I go to the bank, 40 mile round trip to get my cash out of my account and they tell me I need to order anything over 2000 as they dont keep that much out the safe, and no one uses cash any more.its all on line....and they call it service improvement

Don't get me started on banks.

Round here all the easily accessible branches are shut.
Choice of center of bedford milton keynes or Luton. All of which are a trek and a pita to park then you walk in to find two counters open amd a queue out the door.
Always groan when a customer wants to pay in cash.


Insert tooling I bought today was £15 more expensive than buying online delivered from the same supplier.
What kind of reason does that give me to visit again.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Now shopping centers or large supermarkets are an impersonal experience where you can do a weeks food shop and not actually interact with people.

Tis all quite sad.

no one uses cash any more.

Couldn't agree more!

Hardly ever carry cash personally