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When did you make your first online purchase, what was it and why did you shop online?

(29 Posts)
M0nica Mon 25-Mar-19 19:52:15

I made my first purchase about 1998. Ihad a three quarter zip up jacket and the zip went and I soon discovered that it was not a standard UK size. I trailed around locally and even went to the haberdashery department in the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis, but to no avail.

I really liked the coat and didn't want to ditch it, so I decided to try the internet. My first search located a zip retailer somewhere in the USA with the right length zip and the right colour. It was only a couple of £s, even with postage, so I decided to risk it. 10 days later my zip arrived, it was put in and I wore the coat for some years more.

Fast forward 20 years. The zip on a outdoor activity anorak went. This time I could get the length in the UK, but not the colour, so I went online. I swear that the American company that came up with the right colour zip was the same one I bought from 20 years ago!

B9exchange Mon 25-Mar-19 20:01:59

Good for you M0nica, I hate replacing zips!

Fennel Mon 25-Mar-19 20:11:35

When we lived in France we were far from any shopping centres. So I bought several things on ebay.
Can't remember the first, but the best was a wall clock. I wanted a large one for above the fireplace. They're called oeuil d'boeuf (bullseye) clocks in France and are quite expensive. So I bought one on the UK ebay and had it delivered to daughter who brought it over.
We've still got it here, converted to battery.

callgirl1 Mon 25-Mar-19 20:32:58

I`ve bought lots of stuff online, but my first purchase was in 2006, not long after I had my first laptop. My daughter and I bought my hubby a camcorder, one of those diddy little ones that fit in your hand, very unusual then. It came from Hong Kong, so we had to pay import duty on it, but he loved it.

Jane10 Mon 25-Mar-19 20:36:59

I did it via ebay. I bought 5 little tiny emeralds for £4 just because I could! I hadn't believed it would be possible.

Eglantine21 Mon 25-Mar-19 20:57:56

I bought a water butt. I lived out in the sticks with no car so online with delivery was a god send.

When it arrived it was a compost bin. There was no address or telephone number to contact them and they didn’t respond to any emails. I was stuck with it.

It was quite a while before I bought anything online again.??

JackyB Mon 25-Mar-19 22:35:52

I can't remember, but I have had an Amazon account since about 2000.

MiniMoon Mon 25-Mar-19 23:00:14

It must have been about 2000 or 2001. I needed a brown, smart jacket to go with an outfit for an Autumn wedding. I bought a lovely velour one with Crystal buttons from Bon Marche. I wore it until it was almost threadbare.

Bathsheba Mon 25-Mar-19 23:06:44

I honestly cannot remember, but it was more than likely a book from Amazon, when they sold little else other than books - remember those days?

BlueBelle Mon 25-Mar-19 23:11:15

No idea I can’t even remember what I ate yesterday I seem to have buying online for ever I think it was in the 90 s

stella1949 Tue 26-Mar-19 01:24:05

I've been buying online for many years. No idea of what the first thing was. I do it because I like browsing , often in my pj's in the middle of the night. I often buy on EBay and haven't had any problems with anything. The last thing I bought was an iPad cover which I love and which was about half the price of the ones in the shops.

Mapleleaf Tue 26-Mar-19 05:42:58

I can’t remember what the first thing was that I bought online, but I’m guessing a book or CD.

tanith Tue 26-Mar-19 06:40:43

No idea what I first bought but it was probably a book from Amazon about 2004 or thereabouts.

RosieLeah Tue 26-Mar-19 07:02:00

My first on-line purchase was from ebay....a jigsaw of an illuminated manuscript...very unusual.

oldgaijin Tue 26-Mar-19 07:52:34

I think my first purchase was from eBay...Laura Ashley offcuts for patchwork quilts. Am still buying as it is great for craft materials.

silverlining48 Tue 26-Mar-19 08:46:56

Have never bought anything online..... not yet anyway.

GrandmaMoira Tue 26-Mar-19 08:51:18

My first online shopping was with Tesco around 2003. I was off sick with sciatica so had to rely on my husband son shopping for me, which cost a lot more than when I did it so decided to try online food shopping which worked well. It was around 2007 that I started using Ebay and do lots more online now.

harrigran Tue 26-Mar-19 08:56:45

My records only go back to about 2005 but I believe I was online shopping before then, probably books intially.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Tue 26-Mar-19 08:57:25

I bought two stickers for the car.
One is a Devon flag and the other is a charity sticker. Both were only available from specialist suppliers so they couldn't be obtained any other way.
I don't particularly like getting things online as I worry about security but these were barely more than £2 each.

Teetime Tue 26-Mar-19 09:01:59

I've been shopping on line for so long I cant remember when but it was when Sainsbury first went on line. I was commuting to London and doing a busy job so getting the groceries delivered was wonderful. I shop for most things on line as we live in a small market town with local shops that dont sell what I want to buy.

BradfordLass72 Tue 26-Mar-19 09:10:25

I needed a special dress for the launch of my first book (1998) and styles and prices here were ridiculous.

A US friend recommended the online store she used and I found the most beautiful and unusual dress I'd ever seen at a fraction of the price, even with postage, of a NZ garment.
I still wear that dress and still love it and wherever I go, it's admired.

At the moment, I browse and very occasionally buy from a el cheapo site called Wish.

Purpledaffodil Tue 26-Mar-19 09:11:06

Fairly certain mine was books from Amazon. As Bathsheba says they sold little else then. Sadly being new to the process I managed to double buy and ended up selling the duplicates at a loss to colleague. Could have been worse, a friend did the same with Viagra purchase on line. ?

Greyduster Tue 26-Mar-19 09:13:45

I seem to remember it was a John Deere tractor! Not a real one of course but a rather smart, rather expensive replica pedal jobbie for GS. He was thrilled to bits with it but flatly refused to sit on the damn thing. That was our first lesson in grandparently overindulgence going wrong. After that my purchases were mostly fishing related, but now, all manner of things.

Blondiescot Tue 26-Mar-19 10:30:55

I honestly can't remember - I seem to have been shopping online forever! I detest shopping so online shopping is heaven to me...apart from food shopping, that is. I don't trust anyone else to pick my food for me.

BradfordLass72 Tue 26-Mar-19 10:54:21

Blondiescot I don't trust anyone else to pick my food for me

To me that's a godsend. I can't see text on tins and packets on the shelves or freezers, but the wonderful angels who choose my fresh foods always get me the best and let me know of any bargains. Couldn't do without that excellent service now.

And they always write a sweet little note on the receipt, which my Homecare lady reads to me smile