please empty your brain below
Local shopper rather than supermarket any day for me. Only two that are (empty) is encouraging for my future retail sorties.

REB | 19.11.18 - 7:11 a.m. | #

Regarding the first item in your time dependent articles. I buy UHT long life milk, keeps for months unopened in a cupboard.

John | 19.11.18 - 7:12 a.m. | #

I grew up in the town where I still live. so shopping for me is a chance to meet and chat with traders who I've known for a long time and enjoy a sense of community. Yes, there are fewer of them now, but it makes shopping a pleasant, social and human experience.

Waterhouse | 19.11.18 - 7:17 a.m. | #

I checked my Amazon account, and it turns out I last bought something from them in 2007.

The last time I bought something online and had it delivered was in 2016.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 19.11.18 - 7:59 a.m. | #

I don’t own a car. This has two consequences.

1. I use online shopping a lot (particularly for groceries).
2. I use local shops within walking distance a lot (when they sell what I want to buy).

I think the high proportion of “people without cars” in London might be keeping the local shopping parades alive. In many other parts of the country, much of the decline you are predicting has already happened (and happened 20 years ago when the out of town drive in shopping centres appeared).

Dan | 19.11.18 - 8:08 a.m. | #

I walk a round 4 miles sometimes in order to use "local" shops...my neighbours can just about manage running to the bus stop yards away. They're not going to bother with local shops you can't park in front of.

B | 19.11.18 - 9:19 a.m. | #

I sort of tip over the line at "It's too much hassle to return things", so anything that needs to fit well (trousers and shoes, but not jackets) I still get out of the house/office for. Though that's easy to say when I work on Oxford St. Other than that, I'm a Prime subscriber. It probably wouldn't make sense just for me, but you can share it with your family.

Electronics are almost always from Amazon, mostly due to the customer support I've received from them in the past. They don't feel the need to undercut Currys et.al. the way they used to, so it's more about the service than the price.

Chz | 19.11.18 - 9:40 a.m. | #

A confirmed online shopper here, the saving in both time and money is great, but the real saving is in lack of frustration. (Parking space; driving in town/city center; lack of stock in the shops)
I have no experience of online shopping in the UK, but here the large online retailers are mostly postal/shipping charges free. (if not then under cost price).
Amazon...Bol.com...Zalando...Blokker have changed my life more for the better in the last 21 years than any other thing.
I have American comics delivered direct to my door, Beers direct from Belgium breweries.
I am at the age were fashion really doesn’t interest me anymore, so clothes shopping online is easy.
Supermarkets all have online delivery services, before 21:00 ordered delivery next day. You can have same day delivery but that is expensive.
I am retired so I can be home when the delivery in expected (Notification via email). I can also except deliveries for other people)
For a small additional cost you can have evening deliveries, handy for those who work and live alone.

YDU | 19.11.18 - 9:46 a.m. | #

I tend to buy online the things I'm not sure where to find elsewhere, including the more 'special interest' books that the local library / bookshops don't stock.
Clothes - I rarely buy now, either in store or online. Band t-shirts have to be online, but otherwise it's shops all the way, as nothing ever suits or fits the way I hoped! Sadly most of my favourite clothes came from BHS.

Cornish Cockney | 19.11.18 - 9:51 a.m. | #

I would like to go out to local shops to support the local economy and even to socialise, but in my case, I have become housebound through chronic illness. I have to do my grocery shopping online and do most of the rest of my browsing at eBay these days. I do try to send the husband out to get fresh stuff from our local farmer's market when possible. I do think that the change is inevitable though.

Pamela Stocks | Homepage | 19.11.18 - 10:14 a.m. | #

I live in a London flat, don't own a car and buy everything I possibly can online. Between Amazon Prime, Ebay, Tesco delivery saver and one or two specialty sites practically everything is covered.

Gordon jackson | 19.11.18 - 11:26 a.m. | #

I still do 80% of my shopping physically. Granted, 95% of these are groceries, but the main reason is that I usually buy what I need to use immediately, and online shopping is not *quite* this up-to-speed yet, either in terms of the interface or in terms of delivery.

And of course, Hong Kong is a much denser city than London.

Patrickov | 19.11.18 - 11:39 a.m. | #

As I'm on a low income I very rarely buy online simply because I can't afford to buy most things. Nevertheless even if I had the money I'd always buy clothing from bricks and mortar shops because I like to try things on, especially footwear, before committing to a purchase and I certainly wouldn't want to go through the rigmarole of buying say trainers in two or three different sizes - 8, 8½, 9 - and sending the ones that don't fit back.

The only thing that I've bought online this year has been a metal garden bench because I didn't fancy carrying it home from the town centre and I guessed that the driver would have been put out if I'd tried to take it on his bus.

I retire next year so I can see the internet being useful for bulky and/or heavy items plus maybe electronics where the only reasonable local option is Currys which I'm not keen on shopping at due to the pushy sales assistants.

milliem | 19.11.18 - 1:50 p.m. | #

I live in London. For tech stuff and specialist items, online is superb. If it's not available in this country and you can wait, you can always have it delivered direct from China! I never have bought groceries online, though suspect that once I started I'd stay hooked. Strange to say, I enjoy the experience of going to a supermarket or smaller food store.

Bob L-S | 19.11.18 - 2:04 p.m. | #

I live in London, have no car, shop every day but am limited in how much I can carry because I walk (slowly) with a stick. Fortunately a friend takes me shopping fortnightly for heavy non-perishables from a large Sainsbury's, most of that consists of cat food and bottled water. My local sorting office has closed recently so I avoid online purchases because it's now an hour journey each way (by bus)to collect.

amber | 19.11.18 - 2:30 p.m. | #

I personally have never thought about buying clothes online, because I put the piece of clothing against myself to try it on. I normally head for markets or the less-expensive clothing shops in the smaller shopping centres. I can't afford Westfield, and I'm bored of Primark.

Anon12 | 19.11.18 - 2:31 p.m. | #

We shop locally for fresh produce. Nowadays we live in a small place so it makes sense to keep the business for the local shops.

We also visit the local farm shop about every couple of weeks.

Bulky boring heavy topup items requiring parking like dishwasher/laundry products are from a nearby drive-up store.

Clothes - mainly from stores/shops.

Tech is impossible to get in high street shops or tin sheds because they are always running behind the curve or just don't stock what I want. Online ensures currency.

Books: Kindle. Music: Spotify. Video: Netflix etc.

rashbre | Homepage | 19.11.18 - 2:32 p.m. | #

I don't have to wait for a delivery slot for milk. It's normally in the box at my doorstep when I go to look for it. Why would anyone go to a shop to buy it, get it spilt in the car and stink for weeks afterwards?

GeoffL | Homepage | 19.11.18 - 4:41 p.m. | #

I use my local supermarket for most of my groceries (walking) but not much else, other than the occasional visit to the chemists or opticians

Books, CDs, DVDs I mainly buy online, while clothing I go to Oxford Street or the malls.

Mikey C | 19.11.18 - 9:58 p.m. | #

Groceries and household stuff is all from visits to the supermarket or local shops - walk or by bus. I won't do online for perishables.

Shoes and clothes - online usually but waiting for deliveries is a right pain.

Medicines - local chemist shop to help them stay in business.

I don't buy much else these days although any musical indulgences tend to be online via Discogs and then the post. I tend to prefer to find a shop and go in person if I do need something special. Being in London helps as there are more outlets (at the moment) for most stuff I might need. No car so I'm reliant on public transport and being able to carry my purchases.

PC | 19.11.18 - 10:51 p.m. | #

I live in Bromley, most shopping is done in person--not because of nostalgia, I'm a millennial, so not at the other end of the age spectrum (although my parents definitely are) but I guess one reason is I'm very near the centre of Bromley so logistically it makes more sense.

That said, if I can't find a book, I will get it from Amazon. But generally the ones I might not find on the high street are less well known titles, so even high street places like Waterstones or Daunt's aren't likely to stock them.

Jonathan | 20.11.18 - 9:44 p.m. | #

My 90 year old mother uses her electric mobility scooter to do her shopping, she rides the 3 miles into town 3 or 4 times a week. If she needs to buy anything bulky she ensures that she spends enough to earn free home delivery. Sometimes she might order clothes or shoes from a catalogue and for electrical items she relies on her son who lives close by to buy locally or on line as he see's fit.

Clive PALFREY | 22.11.18 - 12:08 a.m. | #











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