The top reasons why some consumers prefer to shop in a store rather than online

[mandy]

New survey of online shoppers gives the top reasons some consumers say they prefer to shop in a store rather than online

A significant number of online shoppers felt there was no substitute for understanding products through sensory evaluation (54 percent). Shoppers also said it was easier to discover new products by browsing in a store (48 percent) and to get customer assistance in person (40 percent). These responses came from internet users, so it is fair to assume that the same questions put to shoppers who never browse or buy on the internet would see at least some of the same key responses, probably at even higher rates...

full article: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/9504.asp

[thentavius]

I've been buying online since 1996--and have found that online, I can get things which are impossible (or troublesome) to find locally. There are several shops and types of products that I routinely purchase online, which I would either never be able to buy offline--or would not buy offline (no, not porno. LOL).

With that said, there's also a whole multitude of things I would never buy ONline, or would never waste time or shipping costs buying online. Some things are easier to get in person, and some things are just more fun to buy in person.