Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/996944
What do you love about shopping online? What do you love about shopping in stores? TRENDINSIGHT consumer POWERED BY www.mesh01.com s /UTDOOR )NSIGHT s *ULY OUTDOORINSIGHTMAGCOM Convenience and pricing, and typically speed as well. No driving. No store hours to work around. Total convenience. I live in a rural area with one small outdoor shop. Anything else becomes a day's event. It is easy and delivered to my kitchen door. No people, better prices/sales. Tough to get to LLBean or Cabela's stores in northern New York. Online is only option. The ability to look at reviews, get shipping, compare products from different sources/manufacturers, etc. Sometimes there are more discounts online than in the stores themselves. And also more of a selection online. I like looking at multiple stores without wasting gas and time shopping for the best price. No need to load up the kids! Greater variety. Convenient. Open 24 hours. Generally better pricing. The ease of it, the ability to find coupon codes for discounts, the fact that I never have to leave my house to order or return items, and the fact that I can usually chat online with a true gear expert who can answer my questions. The ability to find niche products that might not be carried in stores and the ability to compare prices/features. Number of options, usually better pricing. Convenience. If I already know I like a product and need to replace or restock. Not much. I would rather support local stores. However, if I can't find it local I can almost always find it online. I have to know specifically what I am looking for if I decide to venture online for my purchases. Researching specifications and product reviews. The variety and ease. Once you know a product works or you like an item it's easy to buy multiples or replacements. Shopping online is convenient but I usually don't buy clothing because I like to try pieces on to see how they look. Can compare pricing, read reviews and save time from going in stores. No pressure to buy. No waiting in line at cashier. Online shopping is great because of deals and discount codes. If I know I like a product and the size is right, I'll go online to see if I could get it for a better deal. I very rarely buy something new online, it's only to reorder something I'm familiar with for convenience and to save money. If it is an item i am familiar with or purchased before - the ease to click and ship. What I don't like is not being able to really examine or inspect the item. Wide selection of product and ability to get best prices. Being able to actually try the items on for fit and comfort. Can touch the product and test first hand. Easier than having to do returns. You can physically see the product and see how it feels or fits. I hate ordering a product online and being so sure that it would fit perfectly, but then I get it and it is too small. You can speak to the retailer. And you can look at details closely, the variety they have and just enjoy the day shopping. If I have the time I sometimes will find something I wasn't shopping for. I like coming across deals that are not advertised. I am able to make sure that the product that I am getting is exactly what I want. Also I love that fact that I can go and browse items that I may have not ever seen before and try them out. I like being able to talk to professionals that often have great insight on the products I am looking at. Local knowledge. As an Alaskan, my needs with regards to outdoors gear are sometimes different than those of outdoor enthusiasts elsewhere. Touching and trying on items. Interacting with actual people. Not sitting in front of a computer. I love being able to touch and feel fabrics before I purchase. Finding a product I had not seen before and being surprised by the quality of that product. Instant gratification. I love being able to try out products right there on the spot. I need to touch, feel and experience what the product actually feels like. Shoes, shorts, shirts and jackets must fit perfectly and the only way to know that is by going to the store. In person I can tell the quality much better than online. The ability to touch and feel the products as well as browse. Often I am overwhelmed on websites when it comes to browsing. While shopping in stores I also look for deals and enjoy how products are merchandised/displayed. Here's the thing I like most about walking into a store: finding a gem on the sales rack. Second place: not having to wait for the thing to be shipped to me. Being able to ask questions and compare items side by side. I'm a visual a nd tactile shopper. Finding items I didn't know I needed. Try things on. Not paying for shipping. Don't worry about returning because didn't fit. I might find something that suits my needs better than what I initially intended to buy. You can tell quality and fit much better in person. During the survey Outdoor Enthusiasts were asked what they "loved" about shopping online and what they "loved" about shopping in stores. Some highlights from their open-ended answers are below.