Thread: how often do you shop thru online stores?

Not just bellydance related stores, but other websites..how often do you shop ? And what kinds of items do you normally buy online?

Is there a type of website store you prefer using (as a shopper)..one that has easy checkout?]
Please list links to your favorite online stores as examples..whether they are easy to navigate, easy to use their checkout, etc

Thanks

PS store owners..do you have a type of store front you prefer using? Or a service that helped you build a store with minimal cost and effort?

..I like using the ebay store as it is familiar and it is very easy for me to track sales, plus I like how it is linked to paypal and usps.

These are the stores I normally shop online from -I think they are all good designs and easy to navigate. I like it when they have a 'Search' or 'Keyword' button that will take you directly to the items you're looking for. Hope this helps!

amazon.com
discountdance.com
victoriassecret.com

...sometimes getting in the car, using up gas (esp. w/gas prices nowadays!), battling mall crowds, etc., is just too much trouble!

Hugs-N-Shimmies, Zafirah (Lesly B./Lesgemini)

P.S. I LOVE your Ebay store!!!
P.P.S. Ebay, in general, is my main source of online shopping!

Girrrrrl, I buy my GROCERIES online!!!

I shop at:
e-bay, amazon, discountdancesupply, marika (yoga wear) zappos (shoes) etc.

I often search using Froogle, then shop at stores that seem reputable to me (whatever that means at the moment).

My favorite platform, both as a buyer AND when I used to have a store, is Yahoo store. Bar none. Easy to create, fast-loading, easy to navigate stores. Easy peasy checkout. Easy as a seller to track inventory, where visitors -- and sales -- come from, etc. I looooove their standard format.

All the time! I use

Amazon.co.uk
Play.co.uk
Dvd.co.uk

For DVDs, music etc. For specific BD stuff that I can't find elsewhere I use Aladdin's Cave (www.aladdinscave.com), and I really like the marketplace on Amazon as you often get stuff that's imported from the States that isn't listed on the UK site (a lot of BD music and DVDs are not on the UK amazon site that are on the US site). I can find it hard to find things on aladdins cave sometiems because of the page layout and it is rather expensive I have to say. I tend not to use ebay much anymore.

For knitting I buy stuff from English Yarns and Hipknits a great site (www.hipknits.co.uk), I like it's unusual stuff. I buy my shampoo from hqhair.com as I use a brand you tend not to be able to find in shops. I really like the layout of hqhair actually, you can shop by brand as well as by item. I quite like dance direct too, that's fairly simple to use.

I've also bought DVDs and costume elements from Pedralta Dance, and I often buy things from people who list on websites like tribe if they're selling something I particularly want.

At present I don't have the facility to buy from US sites as I only have a maestro card which isn't recognised, but I am going to get a credit card I've decided for that purpose. Once I've done that look out!

Generally, although it's shallow, I like a site that looks well designed and constucted, as I think someone who's put effort into that will be a good vendour. I also like being able to see close up photos of what I'm buying, track listings on CDs, having reviews and ratings is also very helpfull. Easy navigation is a must, I don't want to have to go round in circles all the time. I don't like sites who have lots of pictures of things that have now been sold as there's no point in me looking at them. If you want to put a page of items that have been sold so customers can have an idea of what sort of things you sell that is separate from the shop, that's better, some of us are still on dial-up (though hopefully not for too much longer) and it just wastes time.

I pretty much shop exclusively at on line stores. I rarely walk into a mall or a store front except I still buy my groceries in the physical stores! Regarding Belly dance costumes, I shop/buy directly from the designers in Egypt, but for belly dance music I shop on line at maqam.com; peko records, dahlal.com. I shop for books and music on amazon.com. I shop for make up on line at sephora.com; bobbie brown, and mac cosmetics.com. I shop for clothing on line such as newport-news.com; bebe.com, victoriasecret.com, chineselaundry.com.

I do a LOT of shopping online, for two reasons. 1. There is almost NOTHING here locally for bellydance so I'm pretty much forced to either make my own items or to snag it online. 2. I often am able to find much better prices online

I do still buy groceries locally (as we're blessed with the most awesome organic/health food grocery right down the street) and clothes too as I'm still not keen on buying those online. But holiday shopping is easy with Ebay, Amazon, Half.com, etc.

Amazon, Boots, M&S, Figleaves and train tickets!

I use amazon for almost everything except costumes. I don't grocery shop or buy clothes (unless I've tried them on at a store first and found it cheaper online).

I shop online quite a bit and like sites that load quickly, have easy (and secure) checkout, the ability to choose/change how many items I see on a page, and good search functionality. Of the ones I go to regularly, the one I like best is sephora.com, but I also like discountdance.com - both of these are easy to browse and to find what I'm looking for.

I shop online. They don't have many bellydance venues in central Massachusetts. I love EBAY. I have purchased from some small business owners, with great results. Sometimes I buy items at my studio. The instructor works with some vendors. The only fallback is why I buy a bra top it never fits. Thank goodness I can sew.

Well, if I have money, I'll spend a lot of time on Amazon and some of my favorite websites. I use to spend so much time on ebay that I had to suspend my account! I became an ebay-addict. ,f::

I think I shop on-line about once or twice a month things like airline tickets, clothing on ebay, household goods and cd's from Ameras palace.

I shop online for all my music and dvds at www.maqam.com. I also buy all my travel online, and all my "personal" items from drugstore.com

I would guess I shop online about 2 or 3 times a week-ish?

I love Maqam, and ordered a bunch of CD's from Rashid's lately.

Oh, and I've been on a huge Etsy kick lately. I bought a nice keychain, and a perfume oil called "taxeem" wich actually smells really nice. I bought it for the kitch factor, but it's a nice spicy citrus.

I order pretty often from Amazon, for books and videos. And I buy most of my bath/shower stuff from small retailers that make their own soap and blend their own lotion, conditioner, etc.

Of course I always book flights and hotels online. I had to think for a moment before I remembered you can still do it over the phone. I would rather hit myself in the head with a brick than try to book a flight by calling an airline directly. My mom had to call Delta recently since she was booking a flight using frequent flyer miles, and they put a 24 hold on her seat but never reserved it - so the day before she was going to leave, she called to confirm her reservation and they were like, "what reservation?"

In the past couple of weeks, I have ordered some fabric (from spandex house); a book from Amazon.com; a blouse (from Boston Proper) and a CD from a vendor in Rochester, NY. So I would say that I shop on line frequently!

I like the eaby stores, they're really easy to use, so I use them a lot. I also buy a lot from Amazon, QVC, LL Bean, Sephora, Jetblue...gosh, I guess I could go on and on. I hardly ever go to stores anymore.

sites I regularly shop from:
ebay (Akai!! and more)
Amazon
Maqam
Rashids
Dahlal
Drugstore.com (skin care/shower stuff)
Ouidad (curly hair products)

Shops I sometimes order from:
Bellydance with K
Audrena
Marika (when they have something i want online not sold where I teach)
Wicked Weasel (the tiniest thongs in the world, no joke). No I don't buy the
bathing suits.
Freeman (fabulous sugar scrub!)
Home of Poi (gifts for my husband)
Australia Catalog (a girl needs her Vegemite)
Victorias Secret - occasionally. I prefer to try stuff on, though.

I am reading this thread and realizing my answer to the original question is...not often at all!

I look at online stores and sites, but for the most part I don't buy. I am not a big shopper, really, but I always buy local as often as possible. It is not hard to do where I live, so no biggie. And for clothes and shoes I have to try things on, and to be honest I prefer to shop at thrift stores and consignment shops anyway. Love to find hidden treasures! Books? Library and used book shops. Same for records and CDs. Again, in my area I have a lot of choices. But I like it that way. :) And I like the hustle and bustle of marketplaces.

Almost all of my online purchases are buying used items from other bhuzzers!

I shop online and in stores. I just love shopping. Hardly buy anything. For me it is more thrill of the hunt.

Alrana

I shop online a LOT. It's easier than schlepping to a store with the kid. However, I tend not to shop at places that charge for shipping (Amazon Prime is the best deal EVER if you order from them as frequently as I do).

Tops on my list for a retailer is the ability to remember my information, including cc number, so I don't have to hunt for my wallet. I am also partial to retailers such as Shutterfly who routinely send discounts for services I have bought in the past.

I will spend hours after the baby's in bed hunting for the best price...like Alrana, I think that's part of the fun!