Will we see a drifting back to the High Street?

I see on the TV this morning that Kodak are producing reel film for photos as people are realising that they give a better quality than digital.Is this a trend following on from the resurgence of vinyl records?While the new technology has it's place so it seems some hanker for the 'old' and after a time acknowledge the advantages.Will on-line shopping & the likes of tele shopping of go the same way & we will see an increase in shopping on the dreaded High Street? This interests me as I am presently buying some furniture and other household items. I can do my research on-line & in catalogues there is a tremendous choice but then have to travel where ever so I can see/ feel/try before I order.Many times something is not as imagined & I would have have had the hassle of returning & starting again.Perhaps its just everything has its place ( as I place another on-line order for something I an familiar with!)

Why on earth would anyone want to go back to taking photos and waiting (at least) a week for them to be developed, only to find they are blurred or have a finger over the lens? Not me! I only take pics with my phone these days, have a lovely little Samsung Digital camera somewhere but would struggle to remember when I last used it.

Pick-a-Lily said:

Why on earth would anyone want to go back to taking photos and waiting (at least) a week for them to be developed, only to find they are blurred or have a finger over the lens? Not me! I only take pics with my phone these days, have a lovely little Samsung Digital camera somewhere but would struggle to remember when I last used it.

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I guess there's a novelty to it. I think a lot of it is people in their teens and twenties hankering for these this, but they never actually experienced the disappointment of getting your photos back from the shop and realising they're all rubbish!

I'm in my 30's now and I don't miss that! I got a beautiful film camera for my 18th birthday, 2 or 3 years later digital cameras started to come out and it went in the bin. Maybe I regret throwing it away now. However, I don't see that the quality in those old photos is any better than new digital pictures if taken by a good digital camera. With vinyl there is definitely a warmth to the music that you don't get from CD's or MP3's, so I can certainly see why that's come back in a big way.

you can go to boots and print them off if you remember to that is..then the phone crashes and you lose all those pics

boffy said:

you can go to boots and print them off if you remember to that is..then the phone crashes and you lose all those pics

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Hah yes I've done that. I've taken in my SD card with millions of photos on, taking aaaages to search through them to select the ones I want, whilst people walking past nosey at all your photos :mysmilie_10:

Apart from QVC who haven't evolved their retail experience since the 90s, I love on line shopping with the likes of Ideal World and Amazon that offer free returns, and and free/capped postage so you've really got nothing to lose, unless I'm in a hurry for something and want it instantly, it's on line shopping for me because for me to get to my local high street by bus would cost me almost £6. As for photographs I agree with PAL, why would you want inferior photographs that you have to wait for, when you could have instant superior ones?

Having said that though, if you have a really good camera photographs can look a lot more professional, especially for those special occasions.

I edit my photos on my desktop PC and if I want to print any I have a colour printer and use photo paper.

Free returns really do have to be considered these days as postage is soooooooooooo expensive. I recently had to return some taps to an online retailer and it cost me £14 :mysmilie_51: Many places such as IW are now doing free returns via Asda and it really influences my decision whether to buy a dress or top (for instance) from them rather than QVC - apart from them being a fraction of the price as well.

CC

I often wonder if these times will be a new Dark Age many years into the future when people will still be able to read manuscripts, documents, books, records etc from the 15th, 16th, 17th century etc but will be unable to access all the digital information, records etc from now as the methods of reading them become obsolete. Very like how now video players, tape players, even CD players etc have virtually disappeared from use.

I still do a lot of High Street shopping and some online shopping Too! To answer the question, Yes We did do more Telly Shopping in the 90's and early 20's but find I'm reverting back to the HS Shops these days; funny that!? :mysmilie_378:

I do most of my clothes shopping online and also buy most of my makeup and toiletries online too but I rarely use QVC these days. Their prices have rocketed, their p and p is scandalous, their refund and returns are hit and miss and to be honest most of their fashion is dire.
Last week they were flogging some Clarks shoes for over £50 and £4.95 p and p and the very same shoes were on the Clarks Outlet site for £10 , yes £10 and with free delivery.
The other day I ordered a tailored check jacket online which was originally £50, reduced to £40 in their sale and because it was also a blue cross event there was another 20% automatically discounted at the checkout plus I found a voucher code for yet another 20% off that. Delivery was £3.95 and the coat arrived this morning packaged hanging on a coat hanger, then covered with plastic and folded neatly in a cardboard proper garment box and then in a sealed large plastic bag plus if it had been unsuitable it would have been free returns. From Q you`re lucky if your stuff arrives half decently packaged and unworn !
QVC are forcing people back to high street shops and high street brand websites because the cracks are there in QVC and getting bigger with every passing week but they just keep trying to paper over them but one day it was all come tumbling down.

On line is fine if you are sure of quality, fit and suitability otherwise it's DHS for me as I'm hard to fit

loveallthingsitalian said:

On line is fine if you are sure of quality, fit and suitability otherwise it's DHS for me as I'm hard to fit

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I like to order and do click and collect. That means I can get the opportunity to try on and instantly return if no good... Also to get the retailer to dispose of the packaging rather than me! I do collect without trying on sometimes, but where possible I like to check the goods in store. It's vital for me with shoes as my feet are a nightmare.

Breeze said:

I often wonder if these times will be a new Dark Age many years into the future when people will still be able to read manuscripts, documents, books, records etc from the 15th, 16th, 17th century etc but will be unable to access all the digital information, records etc from now as the methods of reading them become obsolete. Very like how now video players, tape players, even CD players etc have virtually disappeared from use.

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What you say above has already been discussed by 'experts and historians'. Technology is moving at such an advanced rate that what we 'saved' even 5 years ago is obsolete on new equipment, so photos and suchlike will be inaccessible by future generations, unlike the good old photo albums that can be handed down.

I don't even own a mobile that has a camera ! I do have a Canon camera that takes good photos. Yes I download them to the pc, but then what ? Taken loads of holidays in Japan, the US and on cruises, they've been looked at once then they're forgotten. Whereas its good to browse through an album of old pics now and again. I may well get some downloaded and get an on-line print company ie Snapfish to print them off for next to nothing, just to have the pleasure of turning pages of an album.

I wouldn't even know where to start to download/stream (whatever) music to another bit of equipment, so I stick with my CD player indoors and in the car, its simple and not brain wrecking. Equally with email and the internet, I have my needs on my home pc, and there is no place in my life to flick and browse like millions do when they're out. Hence my granny phone with just an emergency button.

Mr Lily is an ace photographer, he takes thousands of photos with his fancy Canon camera. Each November he chooses the best photos from the year, and has them made into calendars for the following year. We keep one ourselves and give the others to relatives and friends as Xmas gifts, always very well received, and it means the photos get seen and appreciated. We also have some of his best photos printed onto canvas and displayed on our walls, and have done those for gifts for others on special occasions too.

Can I say, I have never left the high street.

Cosmetics I do buy online but prefer to go see in real life colours etc. Then if a good deal on say Feelunique or Escentuals will order from then. Rarely order clothes online unless I have tried on instore and know they will fit then do click and collect if unavailable when I decided to buy at a later date.

The only thing I will buy from QVC now are perhaps Elemis TSV, but those are far and few these days. Tarted I really liked but since the prices are getting stupid will no longer.

Well we had a John Lewis open here and a few times my friend and I have seen things online we are interested in go in store they don't have, excuse we are just a small store. The last thing my friend wanted was a baby wrist rattle that cost about £5, apparently they charge £2 to click and collect, so with added costs that becomes expensive. I think now this store as an upmarket Argos.

John Lewis generally is where most of my family buy! They find quality, customer service and delivery spot on! I love shopping there too and have never had any issues with them over the years! :mysmilie_59:

We don't have a JL (long running planning saga - Donna is it about 20years now?) but I often buy on line and the dilivery is great, last year bought a new TV was here next day which is quicker than Currys which is just down the road.

the problem i have with photographs is even though my camera was top end when i bought it some of the phones on the market take better pictures than my camera does. odly i forgot that i have a fantastic printer that does produce quality pics whats that about :mysmilie_15: