re: If a product is available locally, do you still buy on Amazon?

I'm guessing you're a Prime member. In the case you cited, you can contact Amazon and speak to them about it, and get a full refund. There is insurance behind that scenario.

I've had to use it twice. Once you get the refund, you light their arse up on the seller comments section.

I actually had to get a credit card closed out and change the number because some Chinese company I bought an auto part from tried to pull some shite on me in the return process, and decided they were going to "punish" me by attempting to run an unauthorized $500 charge on the card. I let Amazon know about them, and I'm pretty sure they lost their 3rd party seller privileges.

Depends. If I know I can pick it up from a non chain on the way home from work I’ll do that

I know 4D New Balance, and Dunham, shoes fit me. I order some from Amazon. I bought my last TV, and my last mattress, online from Sam's because they delivered them to the house free. I ordered peanut butter suet for my birds online from Walmart because they don;'t carry the bulk packages at my local store. I've bought a few clothing items from Amazon, but buy most of that stuff in the store.

Really just depends on what it is, and if , in the case of the boots you mentioned, whether I know my size.

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for my birds

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Gotta try on boots. No two brands or designs will fit the same

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I'll admit if I'm too busy to get to a storefront, I'll order a few pairs of shoes I'm interested in from Zappos, try them on, send them all back, then go buy the ones I like best locally.

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.......wat?

Over the last few years I've found most of the local stores have their prices more inline with Amazon and other online shops. I'll go local if price is close. Being out in public doesn't terrify me though.

I buy pretty much everything on Amazon, if I can. But the particular item you used as an example, no. Tennis shoes, I'll order online, if I feel confident they will fit. But leather dress shoes and boots I always buy local. There can be a lot of variation even on same size and brand. With boots, I'll try on several of the same size/brand until I find the one that "feels right".

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25 dollars is a big difference.

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It's not just 25 dollars, it's 25 dollars plus $2.50 tax. (Even on food items here in Tennessee.)

Then there are the products that local stores say they have, but don't. I buy my diet Barq's from Amazon. I buy the brand of Tahini I like through Amazon because it's fresher than what I've found in a local store. We even buy my husband's summer hat for working outdoors because the local place where he bought his first one about eight years ago either hasn't had them or has only one size that really doesn't fit him.

This past winter, I avoided going into box stores. I didn't catch a cold, and I didn't catch the flue. Coincidence?

I would make all my purchases on Amazon if I could.