Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Shopping............

..........What percentage of your Christmas shopping are you doing on line and what percentage are you doing at 'brick and mortar' stores?   I'm curious.

And I want to leave politics for at least a day.  

z

43 comments:

DaBlade said...

We are still about 80/20 in favor of the brick and mortar variety - though shopping is something neither of us love to do. It's still treated like a Seal Team mission - get in. get out. get home.

Always On Watch said...

I now do the vast majority of my Christmas shopping online. I love the variety of what I can purchase from Amazon and have directly shipped to gift recipients in other states.

Besides, I hate brick-and-mortar shopping! The parking, the crowds, the often futile search for exactly what I want to buy, the waiting in line to buy.

I'd say that I do at least 90% of my shopping online.

Today or tomorrow, however, it's off to the liquor store I go. I still have a few guys to buy for. One wants Chivas Regal, and I'll give the other a gift card so that he can add what he wants to his liquor cabinet's stock.

BTW, I myself love getting gift cards! I don't care if they're in fashion now or not.

Steve said...

Talking about "Shopping" I see that our Dear First lady (Queen Moochelle)is at it again, spending YOUR hard earned money on herself. this time a J. Mendel JACKET priced at over $6,800~ a JACKET mind you.
Weren’t we told that she shops at Target? Remember that PHONEY picture they showed us of her pushing around a shopping cart in Target! Give me a friggen break!
And this coming just before her 17-day Hawaiian Christmas Vacation thats costing in the vicinity of $1 million.. All this and she’s still angry and bitter!
This is disgusting and ridiculous to the point of nausea.

Can’t wait until the usual lefty suspects come here and tell us about Bush’s Vacations! (In (Crawford, Texas!)

Always On Watch said...

$6800 for a jacket? What is that jacket made of?

Rottweiler said...

No doubt about it, we have a severe spending problem, and it starts with our First Family. And that sad part is, it has become so egregious, even the Dumbocrats are now ashamed of how much they are taxing and taking. So now they won't even call a spade a spade anymore - and taxes are being called "user fees” And then we have that bunch of Liberals/Democrats who believe we don't spend nearly enough! The hypocrisy from these parasites is repulsive and deplorable,
And I guess that Queen Michelle is still pissed at Obozo’s flirting with the Danish Prime Minster at Mandela’s funeral, so she went out and spent $6800.00 on a jacket. That oughta teach him!

American Jihad said...

Michelle Obama has once again stepped out in her $6,800 J Mendel jacket, despite fielding a backlash last time she wore the pricey garment.
But the last time she wore the embellished garment, in July 2012 at a Buckingham Palace reception in London, political commentators took issue with the fact that she had spent so much on fashion while so many in the U.S. are suffering financially.


Source: MailOnline 16 December 2013

Always On Watch said...

Those who deem themselves "more equal than others" (Orwell's words in Animal Farm) feel no shame. Flaunting their self-deemed elitism is their due as far as they're concerned.

sue hanes said...

Z - At this point we have done half of our shopping online. As soon as we get the rest of the list to buy I will know how I'm going to do the rest.

Last Saturday the crowds at the stores were horrible. So I can only guess that it will be bad the rest of the time until Christmas. I dread going into the stores.

Les Carpenter said...

Zero, nada, zip online. Mrs. RN and myself prefer to handle the product if you will before purchasing.

And, we like to window shop and do our small part in helping to keep people employed in retail stores. Call it old fashioned. Call it American.

skudrunner said...

I like to touch and feel what I am buying and then will compare prices to online. We don't get much for each other for the holidays because we get what we need all year, and at this stage I don't need much. The boss, which is not me, is a compulsive shopper online and in store. She has had her Christmas shopping done since September.

As to the bummers vacation. We have to take into consideration that they do not own a house they want to go to. They made their fortune because of a ghost writers talent and two books of fiction and they are part of the wealthy elite. Moochie is mad at the world and the republicans are to blame and DC is a terrible place to golf this time of year.
After all, this is a free vacation and you will get the bill soon.

Ducky's here said...

About two thirds online.

Just so much easier to have them deal with the shipping.

Z said...

I think I did 90% on line....So much easier.

The problem is I want to support the small, lovely shops around here...it's a dilemma. I have rarely gone near the large malls, etc.; They don't need my dollars necessarily, but we have lovely shops here closing one after the other...

AOW, Gift cards are great, aren't they!

I keep trying to steer my fairly large family into keeping the gift tradition going and not stooping to one of those "pick a name and buy one gift" Christmases so many families do.
I keep telling them "The problem with that is I love EVERYONE and want to give something to everyone.." I can't spend a ton, but I find interesting personal things.

Synonymous1 said...

....for "real" goods, almost exclusively online. A lot comes from Ebay. where I try to support the "mom and pop" sellers there. Many will receive gift cards (Wal-Mart) or cash. Cash always fits and is never returned because it was the wrong color...

Average American said...

I did all my shopping in a brick and mortar building this year. It's called a bank. Only place to buy nice new and unfolded $50's.

JonBerg said...

If you know [exactly] what you want, on-line is the way to go this time of the year. Only a certifiable masochist could possibly [enjoy] being in a store, now, although sometimes it's unavoidable.

Constitutional Insurgent said...

Almost entirely online. Primarily due to the fact that I don't care to be in large crowds of vacant-eyed, slack-jawed, knuckle-dragging oxygen thieves.

The other reasoning is that many items I buy for myself and others aren't easily found in brick and mortar locations.

Ducky's here said...

But CI, hey speak so highly of you.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

M; please delete all ANONYMOUS comments and liberalmann. I don't know what the link is but I'm sure nobody cares to see it.

RN..I guess we're all UNAmerican by buying online and supporting all the people behind that?

Les Carpenter said...

"RN..I guess we're all UNAmerican by buying online and supporting all the people behind that?"

If you say so Anonymous.

Think about the dynamics. The entire manufacturing, distribution, and food chain if you will...

Anonymous said...

RN, that was me, Z, 'anonymous' from my work computer.

It's a real dilemma because I'm SO 1000% for Mama/Papa businesses..charming shops where they actually speak English (Oh,how Nasty of me, huh!? to expect good English to be spoken in a store in America, ...right, libs?!), have maybe even READ the book they're selling you, carry beautiful things....and, let's face it, they have to charge a bit more because they don't buy 'en masse' like on-line does.I'm with you on supporting the lovely shops but they're ALL going to be gone soon and I HATE IT.
Think there's a way to stop this?

Ducky's here said...

charming shops where they actually speak English (Oh,how Nasty of me, huh!? to expect good English to be spoken in a store in America, ...right, libs?!)

-----
That's right.

I can't think of a single instance, even Dunkin' Donuts, when a sales person has not spoken English.

Utter nonsense.

Ducky's here said...

Think there's a way to stop this?
========
No.

There will be high end shopping and Amazon and Walmart for the rest of us.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Brick and Mortar.
Mom and Pop.

Rita said...

So far, we are 100% online shopping. Mostly for the grandkids and the great nieces and nephews.

I think I will have to go out Thursday to get something for my mom. She's insisting we not get her anything, but I just can't do that. Last year I convinced my brothers and sisters to go in and get her an IPad. My sister didn't think she would use it. She LOVES it. She's a fairly young 81 y-o and had no problem figuring out how to use it.

But she's hard to buy for. I was thinking of a really nice warm robe and slippers this year.

Bob and I don't buy each other presents. On,y when we might just find something we know the other would really like, which is rare actually. We just don't need that much.

And I absolutely despise shopping, it's been months and months since I have been in a mall, which is the only type of shopping you can do in these rural parts.

Sadly there are no cute mom and pop shops out in the boonies. Now if I lived close to Venice I could learn to love shopping.

I've always said if I won the lottery, I would hire a personal shopper to provide my wardrobe.

Merry Christmas Z. as well as to all your great followers. May you find peace and joy to share with good friends and families.

We've had quite a bit of snow here for a couple of weeks. I was hoping it would hold off until we leave for Florida in January. At least without a job, I haven't had to go out in the mess very much.

Kid said...

On-Line if possible.

The best price among all retailers who have the product and no question about whether I'll find it on the shelf after driving 10 miles.

As Much as I love the Pony Express guys, I'll take email thank you. Embrace the change.

Impertinent said...

@Duck:

"even Dunkin' Donuts, when a sales person has not spoken English..."

Try calling Comcast or visiting a 7-11.

Impertinent said...

@Rita:

"But she's hard to buy for. I was thinking of a really nice warm robe and slippers this year..."


And while shes all snuggled up get her a Bluetooth headset of Braven BT speakers and throw her an Apple gift card to download some tunes for that IPad!!

Just saying ;=)

Impertinent said...

@Kid:

" Embrace the change..."


Even the coming of the Amazon delivery drones?

Rita said...

Well Imp, she hasn't quite gotten the idea of the download thing. Maybe a little because she plays games on it. She mainly uses it to keep up with us all on Facebook and to play some games, and read some blogs.

The joke with mom is that when we used to buy her a nice robe 35 years ago, she would "save" it. She laughs now because she normally saved them so long that she couldn't fit in them anymore.

The funniest (sorta) story is one cold March night, we had a fire in our house. While I was calling the fire department and before she got her wits about her, she rummaged through her closet to find a nice robe so the firemen wouldn't see her ratty one.

A few minutes later the reality hit her and she started screaming and fell to the floor. My dad and brother carried her outside and laid her down in the damp gravel drive in her nice new robe.

Thankfully it was a small fire, is it's something we still laugh about. Here she was saving this nice robe and the first time she wears it is laying in the driveway.

Impertinent said...

@Rita:

"Here she was saving this nice robe and the first time she wears it is laying in the driveway..."


That is a great story...God love her. But...geting onto Itunes is easy....they make it easy to spend .99 cents!! LOL

Z said...

Ducky, you crack me up.
Did I say "Speak English?" :-) I said GOOD English...and it's everywhere,the accented English you can hardly understand, even the better department stores in LA.
Look...you talk about YOUR experiences and I'll talk about MINE, but NEVER EVER tell me I'm wrong about what I've heard and experienced, OKAY? How dumb is that?


Rita, great story, but you're considering a robe and slippers again? :-) I love that..!!

I am SO excited about my mom's present that I'd tell you about it if I weren't so pooped. Remind me :-)



Impertinent said...

@Z:


"I'd tell you about it if I weren't so pooped..."


Awwwww....


wink...

Rita said...

I'm thinking she learned her lesson not to save new robes for midnight house fires and laying in the driveway over the decades since.

Lisa said...

I am a gift card freak. Being my mom has to try things on I took her shopping for a bunch of stuff and a winter coat.
We only got tablets on line for myself and hubby.
I love getting gift cards too.
The nieces and nephews get cash .The little ones get an outfit and a little extra toy.By little ones,I mean the grand nieces and nephews.
Have a Merry Christmas Z. Hope everyone is doing well

Baysider said...

100% online. Almost. I bought one present - online. And one charity gift at a mall kiosk. That's all! (Saving my money to pay the extra $5,000 in Obamascare costs, ya know.)

Z said...

Baysider, ghood point!

Lisa....IS THAT YOU WITH THAT NEW AVATAR!?? Got to get to your blog...miss you :-)

Rita, I think so :-)

Imp; I'll tell soon!!! XXX

Rita said...

We're waiting on the story about your mom's gift Z.

Divine Theatre said...

Mostly online for toys because the stores are all out. Many of the gifts I am making with supplies also purchased online for the same reason. It seems the stores are not stocking their shelves as they used to?
Friday, I am driving four hours round trip to buy my sister a dog. That's pretty much the limit of my buying "brick and mortar" style!


Andie

Anonymous said...

From Z of GeeeeZ!

I can't tell you till after Christmas, Rita! Remind me..i can't wait. It's not lavish or expensive but very personal and, I hope, loved!

Andie...a DOG..how terrific! Tell us how she reacts :-)

xxx to you both at Christmas and always. zx

Anonymous said...

Z again!...

I just saw a Yahoo article "7 reasons why your husband and you don't give Christmas presents to each other".

ARE THEY KIDDING? I have always thought it's so sad to hear spouses say "we don't give each other gifts....we don't need anything,..." Very few add "..it's Christmas for us ALL the time," which I'd buy :-)

I'd worry greatly if my spouse and I didn't think of something we knew the other'd like and bestow it upon them at Christmas.
But maybe it's just me. I hope not.

Average American said...

Z, the wife and I do not exchange gifts because we pretty much do have all we need. What we do instead is buy 1 gift for US. We're thinking this year of getting a power washer.

Do we at least wrap it? Nah!

Rita said...

Haven't exchanged gifts for years. Neither of us are shoppers and if I went to buy MYSELF a gift, I wouldn't know what it would be, so I can't imagine my husband knowing what to get me.

Last time we bought each other gifts, it was because we were going through an absolutely horrible time filled with drama caused by some other family members. I knew he had been wanting a Bose alarm clock, so I used my stash money and had one shipped to a friend of ours so he wouldn't know. He bought me diamond earrings that year.

If I know of something he really wants, then I would buy it, but we are blessed to not want for much.

Honestly the only thing I really want is TRAVEL.

This year I did surprise him for his birthday since it was his 65th. We planned a nice dinner out with his girls and our grandkids, but I hired a professional photographer to come to the house to get some real family pics. It was a great day, he said his best birthday ever, mainly because the whole family was together and there was no drama. Those two things you cannot wrap.

Anniversaries and birthdays are usually just cards and dinner.

We came to this decision years ago when we realized we were just buying things because you are supposed to, not because either of us wanted anything.

No need to feel sad for us, we are finally to a point in our lives when the majority of the drama that used to be caused by family members are in the distance past, and that alone gives us both just unbelievable peace.

And we are heading to warmer weather just after Christmas for the rest of the winter. That deserves a BIG bow.

Merry Christmas Z.

Always On Watch said...

Mr. AOW and I rarely exchange Christmas gifts. I think we stopped exchanging Christmas presents years ago -- at least 10 years ago. As Rita mentioned: Neither of us are shoppers and if I went to buy MYSELF a gift, I wouldn't know what it would be, so I can't imagine my husband knowing what to get me.

Now, if either of us wants something any time of the year, we get that something. For example, my component CD player fritzed out a few months ago, so I ordered a new one from Amazon and told Mr. AOW, "You just bought me a CD player for Christmas." I had to have that CD player right away because I listen to audio books a lot. I got the CD player just in time so that I could listen to audio books while recovering from retinal surgery in October.

Mr. AOW needed some new clothes to wear during the Christmas season, so I bought him those clothes and gave them to him about a month ago.

This evening, I will enjoy my Christmas present to myself: a choral concert in D.C. My first night-driving adventure since my eye surgery.