A Comprehensive Guide to Computer Purchase: 11 - Buying Online or In-Person

This article is a transcript of a video that you can watch by clicking the thumbnail below. Hence, certain statements may not make sense in this text form, and watching the video instead is recommended.

Introduction

I used to love buying things in person, and I still do. It used to give me a feeling of satisfaction that online shopping still doesn’t. But that was in a different day and age. Things have changed now, and all that might need to be re-evaluated.

Buying Online

Buying over the web is something most of us have gotten used to these days. You don’t have to leave your couch, and you can use the search to find what you’re looking for, read reviews from other buyers, compare listings side-by-side, and often also get cashback using browser extensions. The good thing is, one can buy both: new or old items from the same platform or website. If things go wrong, most platforms also offer excellent after-sales support and a money-back guarantee. What more could you ask for?

Buying In-store

When time permits, I still like to buy things in-store. Sometimes that helps me get a feel of the product before I purchase it, if they have it on display. Otherwise, it at least lets me take the item home with me right after I pay for it, instead of waiting for it to be delivered to my house, which depending on how excited you are about the purchase could be a hard thing to do. There is also a lesser chance of you paying for the wrong item, and in case there’s an issue with the item, returns or replacements are also pretty easy, as here you have a real person to take your concerns to instead of typing it all in.

Buying In-person

In case you didn’t notice, back in the last video when we mentioned that picking up from a private seller can save you some money, I didn’t just mean shipping costs. It could be a cash transaction that does not include taxes, which would otherwise need to be paid while purchasing through a third-party platform. But I know, not all of us are that comfortable driving to a stranger’s house, ringing the bell, and having a transaction at their doorstep in an unknown neighborhood. Some sellers prefer (or offer) to meet at a public place, which often is a parking lot or a police compound, you know, just in case things do not go as planned.

Conclusion

I’m sure there’s more to it than what I just mentioned. If you have other things to share, please share them in the comments so I can learn from your experience too.