I would rather drive to the mall because I have a hard time buying clothes over the internet because I don't know how they look on me or how they will fit, but as for anything else, I would purchase online and pay for shipping rather than drive to the mall.

yeah, you can't try on clothes over the internet. Those virtual models are complete crap.

Plus, what's more fun than a trip to the mall???

I need to go in the actual store because I have to try items on and such.

Shipping is outrageous! I like how Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic have the $5 flat rate shipping. Plus, in order to qualify for any discount you have to spend $50 - $100. That's not always feasible!

Defi need/want to try stuff on. Maybe I have a rare occasion where I know exactly the right size . . but highly unlikely. Sephora.com I'm okay with- especially if you just spend the $50 for free shipping it's a good way to send a present.

It depends on a lot of factors for me. I very rarely buy online from a store I've never shopped in person. I'm shaped funny so it's hard for me to judge sizing, even when measurements are given. I hate having to send things back.

The closest mall to me is about 45 minutes. After that, it's about an hour and a half. I do a lot of my shopping online for this reason. Sometimes shipping charges are still too high to justify making the purchase online vs. making the drive.

I live a 4 hours' drive from the nearest Gap, Old Navy, etc... About 6 hours from a Nordstrom or Dillards. God save me if I want a Forver 21, it'd take forever to get to one. There's a JC Penny about 65 miles away, but it's tiny and has nothing professional-ish, at all. So for me, shopping online makes a lot more sense. I don't get to try things on, but ALL the stores I've ever shopped with have more than reasonable exchange/return policies.

It really depends. I'm usually pretty good at finding discount codes for online stores, and usually if there is a shipping cost it's a wash anyway because if I buy something locally I have to pay tax on it, where buying online usually has no tax involved. That said a good return policy is really important to me.
I love companies like revolveclothing, because they send you an envelope with address and postage and delivery confirmation already taken care of, so all I have to do is put the item in the envelope, and leave it in my mailbox. Unless I find deeper discounts at other online stores, I try to buy from them for that very reason. Then I know I don't HAVE to try it on before I buy it because returns/exchanges are very convenient.
Underwear I rather buy in person though, and since I'm never really sure of my shoe size the same goes for shoes. I would try them on in the store and check to see if I can find them online for cheaper, because stores usually aren't as competitive with their prices as online retailers. I never buy shoes though, so I haven't actually done that yet.

I'm close enough to the mall that it would be wasteful to spend the money on shipping. I only buy online when there's a decent deal that outweighs the shipping costs - I mail a lot of stuff from my office and I tend to feel online shipping costs gouge the customer.

i always buy dvds & books online, but hardly ever buy clothes online unless it's something that i know for sure will fit. i tend to run right in the middle of two sizes, so i never know what size i'll wear, even when i see the clothes in person.

In my case, I still prefer going to the store than dealing with shipping charges because when the package finally arrives, I still have to drive to UPS to go pick it up! And it's not close, either. They always deliver when I'm not home so it's really pointless in my situation.

it's more tempting to shop online when your purchase comes with free shipping

I can cycle to the mall in 5 minutes or less. No car for me!

With gas at $1.50/litre (that's almost $6/gallon), I only take the car when I really need it

While I love living in the city, I don't have a car. Most of the time, that is a huge perk, but generally it's not worth the hassle of dealing with a separate public transportation trip (bus to metro and back) just to get to a mall to go buy clothes. Add to that my 80-hour work week, and generally whenever the mall is open, I'm in the lab anyway. I do almost all of my shopping online -- I usually get better deals with end-of-season sales, plus online discount codes and free shipping (both ways, for returns), and if I don't get free returns, then I save up all the returns I have to make and pick out one day every several months and return everything all at once.

It really depends on various factors ... I have a lot of store that are really easy to reach by public transportation so it's not an issue for those. However if I want to go to some specific stores, I have to drive. For example, the closest Sephora store is someting like 35 km away from my place ... it would take me hours to go there by public transportation. Moreover, it's not a very big one. So when it comes to buy stuff from Sephora, I buy it online and group my purchase to get the free shipping.
For clothes, I definitively prefer to try before I buy so I almost never buy online.
For stuff like books, CD, DVD, etc. I do both, looking up where the price is the lowest.

Ugh; someone would have to pay ME a good sum in order to convince me that visiting the mall is a fun way to pass the time. I cannot cheerfully suffer those places.

But I am no clothes-hound. I can list very many things that I would rather do than shop.

i think that it depends on what you're getting. i've been shopping online a lot more but that's partly because it's easier given my schedule.

I actually JUST made this very decision about 10 minutes ago. I bought something on line that I could have bought after work today at the mall, because I also have class tonight and so I just wont have time to go get it. I really wanted this dress, and I didnt want to run around looking for it so I just got it online. For me, the extra shipping charge is also about time management. Maybe its not that much money to waste gas and drive to the mall, but its also about the wasted time. It all adds up.

I live in the city so I have access to a lot of good stores, but I still like receiving stuff in the mail!! For example, the makeup I use (everydayminerals....great stuff!!) only can be purchased online, and it's shipping priority mail so it's a little cheaper than UPS.

Depends. Ugh just the other day, I called Best Buy to see if they had a CD in stock before I drove 15 miles out of my way, and they said yes. I get there and no. Then they were like "oh but we have it on our website. I paid 1 something shipping and that saved me burning gas for no reason. Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. I hate shopping at the mall and prefer sites like piperlime or old navy. The only time I would go to the store is like for a bra or pants because I am petite and have to find my size AND short. During the holidays, shopping online is better economically and free shipping? Who can beat that?

depends on what I am shopping for, but most of the time I would rather drive to the mall. Unless I get free shipping I don't shop online as much as in person. Luckily I get free shipping most of the time. And, of course if I am buying clothing I haven't worn before I would rather try it on than have to ship it back. So, it really depends on what I am buying.

I think I have less trouble paying for shipping than I have with waiting for things to arrive. I tend to want something immediately and like to "look" with my hands. However, if I was stocking up on essentials that are cheaper online and that I know what they look like/ how they fit (or books, movies, etc), then I'd rather save a trip to the store and have them sent straight to me!

I prefer shopping online to going to the mall so I don't mind the shipping all too much unless its incredibly ridiculous

Browsing online isn't the same as browsing at a store. I ran into H&M on a whim to see if something they had last time was now available in my size (it was! yay for restocking), and I saw the perfect dress for my reunion and I got to try it on. I'm on the computer enough as it is

Well, considering I don't have a car... and all the "Malls" are in the burbs... and I have a seizure every time I step foot in the burbs... then, YES, I would rather pay for shipping

I almost always take advantage of free shipping offers, but when the shipping isn't free I try to limit online shopping. I prefer going to the mall to see the items in person, and I don't live far from the mall so it's not expensive to get there.

If there's free shipping, maybe. Normally, no. I live in a major city with plenty of stores and I take public transit everywhere.

If I never had to pay for shipping, I would never set foot in a mall again. I hate all those cell phone and dead sea clay kiosk sales people. Why do they think it's ok to yell at everyone who walks past? And there are fat children dripping with sticky ice cream, always screaming outside the portrait studios. Going to the mall is not at all a pleasant experience. I'll put up with it to save a few bucks, but I only go right when the stores open and get the hell out as fast as possible.

I never pay for shipping..I only order from places that have free shipping. If they require an amount, I wait til I need a bunch of things at once.

But I have found that I can't order shoes or clothes online. I have to try everything on. Bah.

And there is nothing like going to a bookstore and hanging out in my opinion...

At first I was like, no ... but I just did this today because the necklace I really wanted from this store just went on sale and I knew they didn't stock it in the ones near me ... so I paid extra for the shipping and handling (which would probably have been equal to my travel costs anyways) to buy it.

I LOVE online shopping. I live for it! And I love to get stuff shipped to me cause its always fun to get something in the mail or via ups or whatever. I pretty much know what sizes I wear and I hate trying stuff on in stores anyway. As far as shipping costs, most online boutiques are always having some promotion or another so I dont end up paying the shipping costs. And since I dont drive its much more convenient than going to the mall anyway. My fav store online is Revolve Clothing, always free overnight shipping!

Yay for free shipping with no minimum or maximum spending amount with my Banana Republic Luxe Card.

However, I don't take advantage of that perk because I'd rather shop for clothes at a store to see what fits right and looks right on me. I'm far too lazy to package everything up, drive to the post office, and return an item if I don't like it.

I do shop for books online, though.

"Plus what's more fun than going to the mall??"

Um, going to the dentist?

Seriously I hate the mall... That's another reason why I love living in NYC, there really aren't many malls. The stores are freestanding, so its less likely to have to walk through obnoxious teenagers (and I'm a teenager, but the majority of people my age that are at the mall tend to be obnoxious), seniors doing their morning jogging and a bunch of screaming kids by an ice cream stand when I go to a freestanding store. Not dealing with a horde of people saves me time and my sanity.