Do you buy online or local

[Steve Bullman]

Just interested in getting a poll on where you buy from and why.

 

Do you prefer to buy your equipment online? If so is this motivated by price or convenience?

 

Likewise, if you prefer to buy local, what are the reasons for this....are you getting a better price local, or are you buying to support your local dealer in preference to getting a cheaper price online?

[Blackbriarwoods]

I used to buy from my local dealer, they recently lost the main dealership after about 30 years so now I use FRJones for most of my purchases and the dealer for any servicing that needs doing. The kit is delivered quicker in most cases than the local dealer could get it here.

[treequip]

Wherever its convenient and that can exclude online if you are out all day and the courier is an arse. Caused me no end of problems last time.

[WorcsWuss]

You missed one Steve.... 'Online because there is no local retailer'.

That doesn't count for machinery obviously, but it does for climbing & rigging gear

I've found that there's actually not that great a selection of places to buy gear out in the provinces, certainly not to the Jones/Honeys/Clarks/Gustharts standard anyway....

I would much prefer to handle / try before I buy, and supporting local retailers is a pet project, but needs must, I rely on feedback from others and buy online, recently all from the same place because their price and service is excellent, and they do physically have a shop you can walk into.

I won't buy from online only warehouse type retailers.

I think if I could physically shop locally [by which I mean within 30 or 40 miles of home] I would, and it would change my purchasing habit a great deal....

[NI Tree]

local but have to use other people for kit at times too for kit i can not get locally,

Edited February 18, 2013 by NI Tree

[testcricket01]

Its a 50min drive to my local dealer i buy my saws from them, but everything else online get better prices and i can order when i want and delivered to the door.

[jrose]

I like the idea of buying locally in theory, and usually do for chains, two stroke oil, etc... however the local Stihl/Husky dealers don't have a lot of stock on the shelf, and warranty work is pretty pants. So when I want a new saw, decent boots & trousers etc, I usually drive 25+ miles to the nearest dealer who's half decent, or go online.

[Tommy_B]

I buy online pretty much exclusivley. Mainly because Jonesie offers a great service and my local supplier does not!! Simples...

[Mick Stockbridge]

Jonesie for everything.....literally.

 

Same reason as Tommy.

[Rebel_Commando]

You missed one Steve.... 'Online because there is no local retailer'.

That doesn't count for machinery obviously, but it does for climbing & rigging gear

I've found that there's actually not that great a selection of places to buy gear out in the provinces, certainly not to the Jones/Honeys/Clarks/Gustharts standard anyway....

I would much prefer to handle / try before I buy, and supporting local retailers is a pet project, but needs must, I rely on feedback from others and buy online, recently all from the same place because their price and service is excellent, and they do physically have a shop you can walk into.

I won't buy from online only warehouse type retailers.

I think if I could physically shop locally [by which I mean within 30 or 40 miles of home] I would, and it would change my purchasing habit a great deal....

 

That's pretty much the same for me.