Just need to understand how Westeners buy things

[lapa321]

Do americans really buy everything online? Coz that may explain how hype machines are so prevalent.

Where i live (Philippines), buying things online is prohibitive (Up to %100 tax in customs). So we're forced to go to the malls to buy our gear. Specialty stores are rare, and most are general computer stores that have everything in stock.

Every store has an iPhone on display and you're free to try it out, but next to it are the competitors as well. Nokia, LG, SE etc. You try each product, see how they work, check the features, and compare the prices.

All the phones, gadgets, media players and computers are side by side. You have an iTouch, Zune, Archos, on display, but next to them are the media players from no name brands as well (Contrary to popular belief, there are other quality products out there). And i'm guessing the same goes for the other Asian countries. You see a Zune

I guess that's why iPhones didn't really catch on ($1,000.00 iPhone vs $280.00 5800XM and you can't use your existing media library with the former). They're available at every store, but nobody's buying. We don't have TV advertisements, no specialty stores, no overzealous salesmen. Just the products displayed side by side.

I've been to quite a few american hardware forums and it's like everyone has a tracking number in the air constantly. Instead of going to the store and comparing them first hand, they tend to just read an advertisement, then go straight to newegg and click on it. Doesn't this make them too susceptible to hype?

[Chug]

I can't speak for America but here in the UK buying online is very popular. 

[vuzedome]

I can order online or I can go to a shop.
There are local online retailers.
I'm in Malaysia.

[Stsin]

Since most things are out of state, that means no tax.  So while the base price is less expensive, costs even less with no tax, and have it shipped to your door often with free shipping.  In the US, it takes about about 3 days ground to receive...that's for the cheapest delivery (often being free).  Not counting weekends, and can always pay extra for next day delivery.

The other is the availability.

I'm a sucker for those NewEgg special sales emailings.  Like I just bought a $5 Bluetooth adapter for my computer, which I really don't need.  On the otherhand, a $2 SATA cable on NewEgg, costs over $20 at Best Buy.

As for the hype, people are more likely to do their research off of reviews and check products at retailers before buying online.  I doubt being from online has to do with Hype more than advertising and what their peers are using.

Another reason why some online retailers are preferred, like Newegg, it's easy to return products without the reasons required by manufacturers and most other retailers.  If they put out a sale days after you buy something, write them about it and they'll often reimburse you.  They take customer service seriously.

[nstgc]

About half the stuff I buy (in terms of dollars) is purchased online. I don't think it leads to the purchasing of overly hyped products. As mentioned before, if you are in the US and buy online, chances are you will not pay any tax. I buy all my books online and then pick them up from a local book store -- still, no tax. Many people also pay all their bills online.

[Tiffanys]

I buy computer things online. Why? Because for the most part, it wouldn't do any good to go see it in a store, and it's easier. I mean, if you're looking at like a hard drive or video card or something, seeing it in person isn't going to make it seem any better than what you can see online. Now, if I'm buying a TV, radio, phone, cellphone, furniture, appliance or something like that though, I'll actually go to the store and look at it so I can compare with other things and try them out.

[mgz]

Do americans really buy everything online? Coz that may explain how hype machines are so prevalent.

Where i live (Philippines), buying things online is prohibitive (Up to %100 tax in customs). So we're forced to go to the malls to buy our gear. Specialty stores are rare, and most are general computer stores that have everything in stock.

Every store has an iPhone on display and you're free to try it out, but next to it are the competitors as well. Nokia, LG, SE etc. You try each product, see how they work, check the features, and compare the prices.

All the phones, gadgets, media players and computers are side by side. You have an iTouch, Zune, Archos, on display, but next to them are the media players from no name brands as well (Contrary to popular belief, there are other quality products out there). And i'm guessing the same goes for the other Asian countries. You see a Zune

I guess that's why iPhones didn't really catch on ($1,000.00 iPhone vs $280.00 5800XM and you can't use your existing media library with the former). They're available at every store, but nobody's buying. We don't have TV advertisements, no specialty stores, no overzealous salesmen. Just the products displayed side by side.

I've been to quite a few american hardware forums and it's like everyone has a tracking number in the air constantly. Instead of going to the store and comparing them first hand, they tend to just read an advertisement, then go straight to newegg and click on it. Doesn't this make them too susceptible to hype?

when dealing with hardware component in most places if you go to a store you have a limited selection on usually overpriced hardware items.
Sites like newegg allow users to browse the components especially for computer hardware read hundreds of reviews from the people who bought them there. And then purchase everything at usually one of the better prices on the internet and with cheap or free shipping. From a site that is known for having really good customer service.

As far as the iphone thing goes. People watch tv and we have apple stores here. And the iphone here started at like 400 or 500$ and has never been 1000$ here.
Now you can get an old iphone from att for like 50 bucks with a plan. Its not hard to see why sheep buy them.

[lapa321]

Since most things are out of state, that means no tax.  So while the base price is less expensive, costs even less with no tax, and have it shipped to your door often with free shipping.  In the US, it takes about about 3 days ground to receive...that's for the cheapest delivery (often being free).

This floored me

[Natheria]

We don't have TV advertisements, no specialty stores, no overzealous salesmen. Just the products displayed side by side.

And there's the difference.

I actually think that online buyers are far more knowledgeable about what they are actually purchasing than people who just go to the mall to buy things (which is most people, although there are definitely more and more people buying online). When someone goes to the mall they buy the first thing they see. You usually have the most popular items at the front of the store with the most floor space because retailers know they will sell better because we have all been programmed to buy what everyone else has.

As far as mp3 players go people just buy ipods because they look nicer than anything else out there and because the word 'ipod' has become synonymous with the word 'mp3 player'. I have a Sansa Clip because i use the internet and online stores to do my research before purchasing (whether or not I'm actually purchasing online or not).

People buy the popular brands more often (hence popularity...) because we Americans have far more money in our economy invested to waste on marketing. People are so flooded with advertising that at the end of the day no one knows anything else except ipood.

TL;DR: row row fight the powah! 

[relic2279]

I think online buying is about 2 things. Selection and price.

Everything is typically cheaper online, especially electronics. Due to the obvious lack of overhead costs that come with a brick and mortar store. Most people don't buy consumables/groceries online, or clothes that may need to be tried on however. At least nobody I know does. I'm sure people do though.

Selection and availability is another reason. There are some crazy things you can buy online that you can't get anywhere else. Or might have to drive out of state/country to get. 

Want a real wood and brass replica hellraiser puzzle box? BAM $125:

(click to show/hide)

http://www.pyramid-gallery.com/LamentConfig.html

How about first generation box of garbage pail kids trading cards from the 80's? BAM $1,100:

(click to show/hide)

http://cgi.ebay.com/GARBAGE-PAIL-KIDS-USA-1st-SERIES-1-1985-FULL-BOX-NM-MT/300394880907

There is some crazy shit online...

[Proin Drakenzol]

Even when I lived stateside I did most of my shopping online. It's more convenient and (as previously mentioned) you can sometimes avoid sales tax (harder in California since so much stuff ships from there and that's where I live).

Now that I live in Japan almost everything I buy that needs to be in English is purchased online since the Navy Exchange has a shitty selection. However, I have found computer parts and anime figures to be cheaper (with an equal selection) in Akihabara, so I also do a lot of shopping there.

I also use Steam for my PC games, so that's all online shopping.

[lapa321]

I actually think that online buyers are far more knowledgeable about what they are actually purchasing than people who just go to the mall to buy things (which is most people, although there are definitely more and more people buying online). When someone goes to the mall they buy the first thing they see. You usually have the most popular items at the front of the store with the most floor space because retailers know they will sell better because we have all been programmed to buy what everyone else has.

No doubt they reseach the heck out of whatever they're intending to buy, but it doesn't really mean they look at the alternatives. When i'm about to buy a gadget, i read up on it, get what other people have to say, only to end up buying something else when i get to the mall because there's maybe a dozen of the same type next to it. The way the stores are laid out, you're forced to look at their entire selection. There's no centerpiece for you to focus on. There's a dozen phones on a single case, and those cases line up the entire store.

Come to think about it, most of the factories that make gadgets are over here aren't they? Maybe that's why we have more?



The way the forums describe it, it's like your malls are barren o_0 I'm gonna meet someone later, maybe i'll take a few picture at the mall and ask if it's the same over there.

[killazys]

Well, I'm not sure of everyone in America, but personally everything is from Amazon/Newegg/Yesasia etc. etc. Living in the suburbs, (as most Americans do) many specialty stores simply aren't available. The internet helps the average person search for reviews, best products, ask questions on forums, etc.

Shipping is cheap, you don't have to leave the house, and there's no tax. Did I mention that Amazon and Newegg are definitely cheaper than, for example, BestBuy?

[Proin Drakenzol]

I actually think that online buyers are far more knowledgeable about what they are actually purchasing than people who just go to the mall to buy things (which is most people, although there are definitely more and more people buying online). When someone goes to the mall they buy the first thing they see. You usually have the most popular items at the front of the store with the most floor space because retailers know they will sell better because we have all been programmed to buy what everyone else has.

No doubt they reseach the heck out of whatever they're intending to buy, but it doesn't really mean they look at the alternatives. When i'm about to buy a gadget, i read up on it, get what other people have to say, only to end up buying something else when i get to the mall because there's maybe a dozen of the same type next to it. The way the stores are laid out, you're forced to look at their entire selection. There's no centerpiece for you to focus on. There's a dozen phones on a single case, and those cases line up the entire store.

Come to think about it, most of the factories that make gadgets are over here aren't they? Maybe that's why we have more?



The way the forums describe it, it's like your malls are barren o_0 I'm gonna meet someone later, maybe i'll take a few picture at the mall and ask if it's the same over there.

Most Americans (that I know of) don't buy their phones over the internet. We go to the store of whichever cellphone company we plan to go with and look at their selection.

Same thing in Japan. You go to the kiosk or store with the cellphones.

Everything else is where 'net shopping comes in. I even know people that buy their groceries online and get them delivered (fresh, too).

[lapa321]

i'm typing this from my phone. Iphone converted to dollars is $1,067.00

[lapa321]

These pictures are from two different malls. Each mall has a section set aside for cellphones and gadgets. Of course there are others througout the mall as well.

This goes all the way to the back with shops on both sides and there's a larger open area at the end.


Each stall has it's own station for hacking cellphones. You can see one of them playing solitaire on the left.


Each shop has accessories and phones along it's length. I didn't get to take a picture of the other side, but there are ceiling high shelves of gadgets on display also running the length of the store.


These are *NOT* PSP's they're just MP5's. They can typically play XVID, MPG, MP4, RA, FLV, FLAC, MP3, ACC, WAV, TXT (Technically an ebook reader), JPG, etc. The ones with the control buttons can run NES files as well. Resolutions typically vary from 320x240 to 400x300. Prices are between $40-50. They have around 2-4Gigs of onboard memory with card slots for up to 16Gigs. Plug them in to your PC and it'll show up as a Thumbdrive and a card reader.


Last year i actually looked around for an MP5 players and went home with one that was about the size of a credit card with a 400x300 screen ($45). I've since re-sold it when i got the 5800XM.


Here's a street vendor selling phone accessories.


CD-R King. One of the more notorious gadget franchises.


Typical electronics store. I took a closeup picture of one of the cases. That's just the top shelf of the case, there're two more shelves below it. These cases run entire length of the store. Android phones are to the left of this one.


I asked the lady behind the counter. That iPhone 3GS is 49,100 pesos or around $1,097 (The one above was an estimate, this one is done on an online converter).



As i've said, these are just from two malls. There are three more big ones and half a dozen smaller ones near each other that i didn't go to.

Are your malls setup like this?

[killazys]

No. Our malls are usually for clothes.

[kurandoinu]

Those photos remind me of markets over here... full of EVERYTHING

[Spanks]

Having stores with every brand and type would be great, sadly we don't have that here. Here stores only stock a few brands of each item, bigger the store the more selection but nothing like those pictures. I assume the main reason for this is it is easier for a company to deal 2-5 suppliers then 30 and stock take is easier with less products. Also we also don't have all those "fake" products, as in fake I mean half of those products would violate various copyright or patents in our countries therefor not aloud to be sold.

[sdedalus83]

I mean half of those products would violate various copyright or patents in our countries therefor not aloud to be sold.

Not to mention most of them wouldn't get through FCC or CE testing.