On 01/15/2016 11:06 PM, Don Y wrote:
The BIG advantage to brick and mortars is you can actually *see*
what you are buying and don't have to rely on some dweeb to put
the *right* item in the box!

Perhaps where you live. In a town of 50,000 finding something to see is
a chore or the price is ridiculous. I bought an Omron strapless HRM late
last year. The only one I could find in town was $50 at Walmart. The
same item was $25 from Amazon.

My worst experience was after I bought a car without a radio. It was a
new model so the dash kit was also a new design. I went to the leading
car stereo store in town and selected a radio. The salesman said they
didn't have the kit and would give me a call. Okay. A couple of days
later, he calls to say there isn't a kit but they might be able to
modify one. Meanwhile, I'd been on a Toyota forum and gave him the
manufacturer and part number. It was a Metra kit, one of the major
providers. He said he'd order it from the his supplier and it should be
delivered in three days. Okay. Three days later, I called. The shipment
had arrived with no kit. He would try to order it from Spokane. Okay.
Two days later, the Spokane delivery arrived, no kit.

I thanked him for his trouble through clenched teeth, went home, and
ordered the radio, dash kit, and harness from Amazon. Two days later
there was a pile of boxes on my deck when I got home from work and I
installed the radio.

That's how it runs for most things around here and it isn't only Amazon.
I went to a local archery shop looking for glue on target points.
They're mostly into compound bows, not traditional archery. The guy said
he could order them for me, but I could find them on the internet as
easily as he could.

Back to books: I went into the B&N store looking for a title and she
said she could order it and it would be a week or two at the full list
price. I ordered it from B&N online for 10% less and free delivery to my
door.

I really, really try to support the local brick and mortar stores but
I'm starting to think they all have a death wish.