Shopping Online vs My Local High Street

If you know me, you will know that I love a bit of retail therapy. Since having children, I have chosen to shop online more and more. When they kids were tiny it was just so much easier. I didn’t need to bother about finding somewhere to sit if they needed to be fed, or wondering if they would be due for  a nap or not. I’d even do my supermarket shopping online!

Now that they are bigger and they are happier to be out and about at the shops (and it is easier to get them fed when you’re out and about), I find myself going to the high street more and more. Sometimes it is just nice to have a browse, but I much prefer if there is something I am on the look out for. A third (34%) of respondents in a recent survey in Surrey, said they most prefer to shop online. So 66% of people close by to me prefer shopping in a store – I am not alone!

in Banstead High Street
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Epsom Upper High Street

Browsing

I like to have a look in a few other shops too and find a few hidden gems. I think that is something that you miss out on when you shop online. I was in my local high street the other day (Epsom) and I was having a look in a few shops. In the survey about shopping, people in Surrey said they they went to their local high street on average of two times per week. I wouldn’t say I go that often, but I know some people do go very often. I was just browsing but saw some awesome little trinkets that would be perfect for our dining table centrepiece display (I like to have one for each season, sad, I know). I found a large pineapple candle and a rose gold little candle holder, perfect for a small pillar candle.

I wasn’t looking out of them as such, but come across them as I was browsing. They were both in the sale no less too! More than 2 in 5 people in the Surrey shopping survey said they have found a surprise bargain you didn’t even know they wanted. I agree as things aren’t laid out online like they are in a store. So you don’t get browsing as you do in store. I quite like the browsing!

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Epsom High Street

Trying On Clothes

One of the downsides to shopping online is that you can’t try things on. It is fine if you know your size in a certain store, but if it is somewhere that you haven’t shopped before, you can get in a bit of a pickle. Companies make it easy to return items but it is just a faff. You have had to wait for delivery, trundle off to post it back and then wait to get a refund. It is all a lot quicker when you shop in store. This is a major thing for me when buying shoes and trainers – I tend to be different sizes in different stores so it is hard to know my size!

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Epsom Town Centre and Bell Tower

You Can Make a Day Of It

I like that you can make a bit more of a day of being in town too. You can grab some food or a hot chocolate and spend as long as you want, if you want. I often meet friends in town for a catch up and it is always our destination for a girls meal out. We go to the high street quite often at weekends too and fit in breakfast or lunch in between looking for what we want.

Do you prefer shopping online or on your local high street? I’d love to hear what you think.

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

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*sponsored post for Quidco’s #HighStreetHappy campaign.

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