The days of brick and morter stores is waning.
You can buy almost anything online and get it cheaper.
The cost of shipping is less than tax in many situations,
plus the cost of the item starts out less.
I can even get stuff like footpowder and coughdrops shipped from New Jersey
cheaper than from the Walgreens around the corner.
LOL ! ..... I doubt it!
There are
still advantages to buying from B&M stores. All of my lights are from B&M stores, and collection is far from small. (Although I will admit that living in NYC helps a lot when you want to buy a Surefire).
Not everything I've found online is cheaper. Some places actually charge more. But usually, you expect to pay a bit more at a B&M store. Still, B&M shopping offers things you can't get online....
1 -
Instant Customer Service - If the light you bought is defective, you can turn around, take a few steps, head back into the B&M store, and instantly have them replace it or give you a refund. Can't do that online. That actually happened to me twice with 2 different lights at 2 different stores. A Mag and a Surefire.
2 -
No extra fees involved - No need to pay for postage to send the light back to the company, if it breaks or is defective.
3-
No lost time - In this busy world, it's a pain in the neck to make a special trip to the post office to mail your broken light in.... Then you lose more time by waiting for the light to return.
4 -
No need to deal with a company's Customer Service Dept. - Depending on who made your light, this could be a huge advantage! Like I said above, I had a Surefire that was defective right out of the box (blown bulb). I haven't heard good things about Surefire's customer service dept., and when my G2 didn't light up; I'm glad I was able to exchange the light at the store. Rather than deal with Surefire directly. I think I saved myself a huge headache.
5 -
Product in hand - This, to me, is still a huge advantage. You get to not only see, but hold the product to determine if it really is what you expected. Product in hand is also related to time. No need to wait for your product to arrive, once you pay for it. This isn't just about convenience. You might need the product right now! If you have a cold, you're going to want those coughdrops NOW!
B&M stores are far from obselete. Online shopping offers the advantages of low prices, and being able to order anything from around the world. But the advantages you get from B&M stores are still worthwhile.
