Yes, i definitely pay a premium for purchases I make at each one of these. But it’s not an astronomical amount, and it makes more sense if you think about these kind of stores as local warehouses.

Why don’t I just have a 70lb bag of dog food delivered every n days? Idk, I don’t want to have to think about the dog food until I have to think about the dog food. If dog food shows up when I’m out of town, or there’s actually a weeks worth of food left because Externalities, now I have an extra dog food storage problem.

I will never order groceries. Picking my meat and fresh produce is something I will never outsource. Especially if it is more expensive.

I order online because it is usually cheaper for electronic accessories and books.

But I also live in an actual city instead of an endless sea of suburban houses.

If anything I am doing less online shopping over time as I keep getting burned. Though I also lived next door to a mall for years which changed my habits somewhat.

far more likely, i'll just put the batteries on my shopping list for the next time i am at the grocery.

Honestly, it also provides the thrill of impulse shopping without the guilt or monetary expense. Most of the "save for later" items never get ordered, or I realize they're part of a bigger project I need to make time for.