I never really felt sorry for brick and mortar stores struggling with the online revolution. As far as I was concerned, this was progress. Adapt or fail.
But today I was forced into a retail shopping experience (because of my own poor planning) and I was especially glad I never wasted any sympathy on retail stores. Four different stores in three different strip malls. All I needed was an SD memory card for my Nikon. I figured that 32GB would be overkill, so I was looking for 16GB. I checked Amazon the night before, just to get a feel for how much I was going to overpay. 16GB cards run around $38-$40. 32GB cards can be had for around $75. First up: Target. Biggest card they had, 8GB. And it was $37. Next: Gamestop. Biggest card 4GB. Didn’t even ask about price. Just laughed and left the store. Third: OfficeDepot. 16GB card $80. 32GB card $140. Last, Best Buy. 16GB card $90. 8GB card $21. In the end, I went with two 8GB cards from Bsst Buy for a total of $42. Which was oddly markedly cheaper than their own 16GB card. Not ideal, but a least I was only paying a bit more than I would have at Amazon for the same amount of storage. Keep in mind, each store involved driving in Christmas traffic, finding parking, and often having to wait in line just to ask a clerk about SD cards, since they are often hidden from customers to prevent theft. I’m not in my home town, but luckily I had someone to help me find all these stores. Otherwise, I would have to factor in the added stress of looking up directions. Finally, don’t forget sales tax, which is easily avoided online. So its A LOT cheaper, a ton less stressful, and much more convenient to shop online. Why does anyone bother shopping in stores anymore? It’s no wonder Apple has done so well with its retail division. Apple may be a little overpriced at times, but it’s paradise compared to Best Buy or Office Depot in terms of service and convenience. Lesson learned. Order the proper amount of camera storage from the web before leaving for the trip.
