Marketing Question: How Do You Buy?

Micah Cohen

I'd like to know how you buy your speakers and electronic equipment. Do you:

(a) Research online; buy in a store?
(b) Research in a store; buy online?
(c) Research by catalog; buy online?
(d) Research online; buy over the phone?

When you answer, I'd like info not only on YOU, but then maybe on what you see your friends doing, and then maybe some info on how you buy OTHER products (using the choices above) like books, CDs, furniture, etc.

Also, I'd like to know if you don't do any shopping or buying or research online and are strictly a "bricks and mortar" kind of person.

Thanks!

Micah

Jstas

All of the above.

I do alot of research online. If I am not satisfied with the pictures and info online, I'll find it locally in a store and go and look at it. Getting your hands on something can make more of a difference in purchase choice than anything.

As far as actually purchasing stuff, I'll buy online or in a store. Depends on what I value the item at and how close the actual price comes to that value. I rarely get the absolute cheapest deal because the best places to buy may not be the cheapest. I look for service more than price. Also, convinience drives my purchases more than anything else. How fast do I want it? Like, if I see something online and in a local store and I want it tonight, when I get home from work, I'll go to a local store and pick it up if I can. If I can wait or just don't want to drop a chunk of change on it, I'll look online or find the best price in the store locally.

Most of my friends refuse to buy anything online because they fear the Intarweb. They will do research online but I never see them getting anything but what one can find in the huge chain stores. That is the main reason I look online. The chain stores do not have as much variety as what you can find online. They will look online but they mostly go to the chain store websites to check on availability. Pretty sad really that they let such a powerful and useful tool go to such waste.

Tour2ma

Actually, since almost all I am buying these days is vintage used audio, I am mostly:

e) Research on-line/ buy on-line.

Ditto for CD's, DVD's, books.

Furniture and durable goods I get my butt out and in/ on.

amulford

I pretty much do all of the above also. I try to research as much as possible before actually buying. Sometimes online, sometimes not.

Although I have found some good deals on the internet for certain items, more often the prices are pretyy much in line with the going ...

wallstreet

I guess it's a sign of the times but how about:
Research in store, buy in store!

That's still got to be the most common. And how do you research speakers online. Sure you can check prices, maybe some specs. But to me, that is all meaningless until you hear them. It's really amazing how many posts you see on other forums that say, what's the best speakers for $400? Like I or any other yahoo knows what you like? That's probably why I didn't buy Outlaw or why I haven't pulled the trigger on a SVS.

Jstas

Yeah but he said speakers AND electronic equipment.

I can do alot of research online about both things. Not all stores carry all models of a speaker company. Look at CC and the RTi vs. LSi series speakers. The only place I know of locally that I can get LSi's is in the Crutchfield catalog that comes to my door.