subject: Electronics: Online Or In-store? [print this page] Theres a lot of opinion about when and where to buy electronics, and luckily there are also plenty of quality options.On the web you can find many of the same electronics options as you could in a well-known store.Buying online may afford you several benefits regarding what you buy and your overall satisfaction.
The biggest deal is money.Consumer Reports did a survey in 2006 to find out where nearly 20,000 readers got the best money deals. The majority stated they found the best prices on the web. Online stores often have the same products as big name stores for a cheaper or similar price. This applies to items small and large as well as new on the market. Amazon.com is just one of the many well-known and trusted online retailers.
Customers also want the best in service. If youve ever gone shopping in any type of retail store, you know that customer service can be lacking.It's great when you can find a helpful salesperson, but too often the staff is inexperienced or too assertive. The experience of shopping online is very different. Online shopping puts a huge amount of product information right at your fingertips. Is you still have unanswered questions, you can do more research until you find what you're looking for.
In the vein of customer service, an important area to note is the return policy. The return policy is your insurance against any unforeseen problems. If youre buying online, shipping creates a little more risk that your product could be damaged. Knowing the return policy of online retailers is crucial. An example of a very restricted return policy is that of buydig.com. Very few items can be returned once the packaging has been opened. Costco is an example of a company with a more lenient approach. The favorable return policy is one reason why Costco received high rankings for online and in-store shopping. If an item you bought online needs work, you can take it to a Costco warehouse.
No matter what electronics you want to buy, choose your retailer carefully. You may find that you would like to dive into the pages of information available online.Others prefer the in-store shopping experience. In either case, there are many quality products and options out there for you.
