On 5/17/2016 8:22 AM, HerHusband wrote:
We buy very little on-line -- we live in a large enough metro area
that *most* things are available "today", in a reasonably short drive.
(Costco is 2 miles, Best Buy is closer to 4, many similar vendors in
that same range, etc.)

Except for clothes and food, we buy most things online.

In just the last few months I bought car parts, a monitor, a desk mount
monitor arm, woodworking finishes, batteries for my UPS, toolboxes, a
tripod, a self setting wall clock, laptop batteries, cell phone, plumbing
parts, undercabinet LED lighting, a grab bar, and a variety of tools.

None of these items were available locally.

I can find at least three vendors for each of those items within 3 miles of
the house (well, not the laptop batteries as I don't replace those). The
nearest Ace is just over a mile. Another is just over 2 miles. I can be at
any of three "malls" within 8.

We have a variety of home centers, specialty hardware stores, electronic
stores, and department stores nearby. Unfortunately, most local stores
only carry the most generic consumer level items, typically the low end,
low priced items that appeal to the masses. Even the specialty stores
typically have a limited selection.

For hardware stuff, ACE beats the big boxes hands down. I've bought
all sorts of bronze fittings "off the shelf" that you would probably
expect to buy on-line. Even the plumbing stores can't compete (esp
on price).

I *did* have problems finding electrically operated valves, though
(not irrigation valves but 3/4" dia ball valves). I guess there's
just not much demand for them.

OTOH, had no problem finding pressure reducing valves, expansion tanks,
etc. "off the shelf"

I can find very specific items online, do my shopping at 5am in my pajamas,
and have it show up at my door in 3-4 days. What's not to love.

My last purchase from Amazon (an add-on to a book order SWMBO had placed)
was for a "down angle" USB A M-F cable. They shipped an *up* angle
part, instead. Had I been able to hold it in my hands before purchasing,
I would have told the "clerk": "No, this is the wrong item. Go back
and find the one that's the opposite of this!"

I didn't even bother trying to get the problem "fixed" through Amazon.
They'd never be able to sort out the right part OR understand why
the part they shipped wasn't the part that I ordered. So, just returned
it for a refund. I.e., a waste of my time ordering it, waiting for it
and then returning it!

I looked at Digikey yesterday thinking I could add it to my parts
order but they only had left- and right-angles. (I would trust
Digikey to get it right!)