I love online Christmas shopping

[Thomas Veil]

This was the year I took the plunge and did the bulk of my Christmas shopping online. And I'm here to tell you...I love it.

Most of the stuff people wanted consisted of DVDs, CDs, books, art prints and the like, so we got the majority of our stuff through various e-tailers. About the only thing we actually had to go out and buy was clothing, because if my wife is buying somebody apparel, she likes to see it in person. (Frankly, I think she's right.)

The only hard thing was getting everybody to tell me what they wanted for Christmas in time for me to order it and still get it delivered for Christmas. Because I placed my order Dec. 14, I had to forego the free "super saver" shipping (which would've taken several days longer) and pay for standard shipping. It was still worth it not to run to a whole bunch of stores, use lots of gas, fight crowds and stand in lines.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous that the last part of my order hadn't arrived as of yesterday, but that's where UPS tracking comes in. I checked the link at Amazon, and yesterday afternoon the last of my stuff was at the UPS depot in town, and today it was on my doorstep.

So I gotta tell you...this is the way to go. I'm doing it this way every year from now on.

 

[muffinman]

Most of the stuff people wanted consisted of DVDs, CDs, books, art prints and the like, so we got the majority of our stuff through various e-tailers.
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Most the things people want in my family are diamonds. I wonder if The Wherehouse stocks those?

 

[stonyc]

I did a good chunk, though not majority, of my shopping online too... very convenient.

 

[Eevee]

Believe that's what my wife did this year. She doesn't have much time to shop at the mall, so she went online and purchase everyone's gift early in advance (free shipping).

Glad to hear you got the shopping done online Thomas Veil.

 

[Mord]

christmas shopping in london is hell, i did the marble arch->ox circus->china town->covent gardens trawl and it was horrible, left at 9 and got back at 5.

 

[wiggy4ever]

do u think that online shopping has increased, decreased, or kept constant the total shopping done during the holidays?

 

[yellow]

I did a bit of online shopping (again) this year, but again screwed myself over. Some of the stuff I eBay'd, well I found it for about the same as what I paid for it. And no shipping needed.

I've decided that next year, I'm going to try and minimize the stuff I order online and shop first for price ideas.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I did every bit of my shopping online this year. The last of my gifts should arrive today. I even ordered a gift card on the internet! It works for me!

 

[homerjward]

my mom did a lot of online shopping this year, and i helped her out with buying some of my bros' presents. she actually did the circuit city in-store pickup thing for a couple items, as 2 day shipping from newegg on a memory stick or something is ridiculous. a problem, though, was that my whole family pretty much waited until this week to go christmas shopping so we either had to sell our soul to pay shipping or go to a store. my little brother's getting an ipod nano and my mom wanted to use her education discount (she's a teacher) to get it, so she had to drive almost all the way across town to go the apple store, since shipping would be ridiculous (she bought it yesterday before i woke up so i didn't get to go )

 

[iSaint]

This was the year I took the plunge and did the bulk of my Christmas shopping online. And I'm here to tell you...I love it.

snip~

The only hard thing was getting everybody to tell me what they wanted for Christmas in time for me to order it and still get it delivered for Christmas. Because I placed my order Dec. 14, I had to forego the free "super saver" shipping (which would've taken several days longer) and pay for standard shipping. It was still worth it not to run to a whole bunch of stores, use lots of gas, fight crowds and stand in lines.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous that the last part of my order hadn't arrived as of yesterday, but that's where UPS tracking comes in. I checked the link at Amazon, and yesterday afternoon the last of my stuff was at the UPS depot in town, and today it was on my doorstep.

So I gotta tell you...this is the way to go. I'm doing it this way every year from now on.

I found the Super Saver shipping isn't really something that you can take advantage of. Unless you shop WAY in advance I guess. I did all of my shopping online through Amazon, ThinkGeek, and Apple of course (a 5G iPod for me). Shipment tracking, just like online shopping, is another excuse to play on my iBook!

My wife went out and did the shopping for the kids. I did accompany my mom one day, but it wasn't so bad.

Today's traffic is horrendous!

 

[TheMasin9]

Online and on time

i did the majority of my shopping online too, (early though, so super saver shipping could get here). but i do think there are some things that are better/easier to get in a store. Jewelry and lotion for the ladies, and ipods (with employee discount!!!). other than that, online online online.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

online shipping for me was great. We couldn't find any nanos at the stores. We were about ready to just leave CompUSA and then I was like dad, we could just order it on the online Apple Store. Then he's like, can we do it now, then I was like yeah. Went over to a 20" iMac G5 and logged in and had a nano on the way. Ordered Tuesday came Today. w00t w00t

 

[YS2003]

Except for grocery, I shop mostly on line as it is very convenient and "tax free" if the online merchant is out of state. Books and computer equipment are what I buy on line because of the competitive pricing and wider variety than a brick and mortar stores. I am also into high tech gear and I usually cannot find what interests me in the brink and mortar stores anyway.

Especially during this holiday season, I cannot stand waiting in line for the check out nor looking for spots in the busy parking lot.

I just bought myself a nice present (Fujitsu Table PC T4020D which is fully loaded up and accessories costing close to $3000) at an online store. No shipping charge and no sales tax.

 

[Seasought]

A bit of an aside here but...

I never understood why some people hated getting and giving gift cards. I could care less if someone was too lazy to ask me what I wanted and just gave me credit to a favorite store, bring on the goods!

 

[YS2003]

A bit of an aside here but...

I never understood why some people hated getting and giving gift cards. I could care less if someone was too lazy to ask me what I wanted and just gave me credit to a favorite store, bring on the goods!

Good point. I heard some people complained about the gift card by saying a person who is giving a gift card as a gift (dah) is getting lazy with the gift selection.

If I am forced to do a gift exchange (hypothetically speaking) with someone, I will settle on the gift card. I am busy and I won't have the time to browse in stores or web sites.

 

[Applespider]

online shopping is great; particularly when you spend Christmas in a different part of the country so you can get all your gifts shipped directly rather than lugging them around on planes.

so far as gift cards go, I don't like giving them, for the 'lack of imagination' aspect, unless I know that the person really wants something that I wouldn't spend that amount of money on. I have a couple of teenage boys to buy gifts for who I know just want games; since I don't intend spending £40 or £50 on them, I just buy a gift card/voucher and they can put a few together to get the game they want.

 

[generik]

What I did this year was:

1) Bid for Amazon gift certificates on eBay
2) Pay using Paypal, and use those promotional eBay + Paypal codes
3) Discounted once!
4) If I won the gift certs at less than face value, then consider it twice discounted

Last but not least choose free shipping

 

[Thomas Veil]

online shopping is great; particularly when you spend Christmas in a different part of the country so you can get all your gifts shipped directly rather than lugging them around on planes.

so far as gift cards go, I don't like giving them, for the 'lack of imagination' aspect, unless I know that the person really wants something that I wouldn't spend that amount of money on.

Actually, that's the only kind of "online gifting" I'd previously engaged in. I've got nieces who live in Phoenix, and who don't always get up here for Christmas. But I do know which stores they like (Target and Borders), so I send them gift cards at Christmas. I know they like them, because I see them listed on their "wish lists" every year.

 

[jadekitty24]

As it is now only the immediate family and close friends get gifts, all others get gift cards or sometimes lotto tickets. I really can't get too creative with people I see only once or twice a year. I'm always happy to receive a gift card. I'm also happy to receive just a plain old card, or a phone call wishing me a merry Christmas. Those who complain about people who buy gift cards and take the "lazy way" out really don't know the true meaning of Christmas.

 

[hubristol]

This was the first year I took the online route as well and I agree about how much easier and less stressful it is. The only bummer was a book that I ordered off eBay that didn't reach me by the time that I had to leave my dorm for xmas break. Besides that, everything else reached me way before I had to leave and it beat having to meander through the local shopping mall which I hate going to anytime of the year.

 

[AstrosFan]

The only bummer was a book that I ordered off eBay that didn't reach me by the time that I had to leave my dorm for xmas break.

Overall, I was very happy with the online shopping experience, but I too had a delivery failure that cost me a few presents.
The lesson I learned was to make sure & order earlier next year.
I commend those of you who ordered early enough to be using Super Saver Shipping - well done!

 

[hubristol]

Overall, I was very happy with the online shopping experience, but I too had a delivery failure that cost me a few presents.
The lesson I learned was to make sure & order earlier next year.
I commend those of you who ordered early enough to be using Super Saver Shipping - well done!

Yeah, that can be the tricky thing about ordering online. I paid for the book on the 2nd and didn't leave the dorm until the 17th which i thought would be ample time. All of my other gifts I ordered around the 2nd reached me well ahead of the 17th but I suppose the retailer i ordered the book from maybe used a slower shipping method. *shrug*

Oh well.