Market Research: Buying local vs. online. Please help!

[Funky_Fish14]

For Livestock:
-Availability (Because I only buy specific specimens, that are exactly what i want)
-Fragility
-Perishability
-Ease of Shipment
-Technical Aspects

I list it this way because if I want a specific animal/livestock, it is unique. All animals, corals, etc... are unique, no two are alike. If I want an animal, I will pay whatever for it, from wherever. Desire for a specific, exact product outweighs all technical aspects/problems associated with it's purchase.


For anything else(dry goods, food, etc..):
-Technical Aspect
-Availability
-Ease of shipment
-Fragility
-Perishability

The reason for this order, is due to the fact that if something is very complex or detailed, I'd prefer to get a chance to view/understand it in person if I can... following is availability (which is also linked to price, I wouldnt consider the item 'available' locally if it is twice the online price, per se)... Whether shipment will take forever or not is basically the following reason, then fragility/parishability, I dont really care. Most retailers will typically replace stuff I didnt break myself.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Chris

(If you draw me, keep the $20 dollars as a 'refund' from another 'poor' student, haha)

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

1) Perishability (I don't like shipping livestock in winter for instance)
2) Price - Cost/benefit analysis (how much am I really going to save online vs LFS)
3) Availability (with J&L, OA, & other lg. sw retailers here, can't one of them bring it in?)
4) Shipping (again cost/benefit analysis - will shipping costs negate any savings?)
5) Technical support

I don't often resort to ordering stuff shipped in just because of the added cost & risks involved, especially with so many sw retailers in the area.