Where to buy electronics

Readers rate walk-in and online stores for our electronics retail stores review

You might not yet know which flat-screen TV, digital camera, or laptop you'll buy this holiday season, but chances are you'll enjoy the hunt. Our latest surveys for this electronics retail stores review found that shoppers were very satisfied with their experiences buying computers and other major electronics, more so than for most other services we regularly cover.

Moreover, online shopping was more satisfying for every category of electronics we surveyed--even big-screen TV sets. Where most walk-in retailers offer either low prices or wide selection, some online retailers offer both. They also offer freedom from a prime irritant of in-store electronics shopping: the pitch for an extended warranty you almost certainly don't need, which three-quarters of walk-in shoppers in our electronics retail stores review were forced to endure.

Often, of course, convenience or the desire for face-to-face assistance drives you to a walk-in store. In fact, most survey respondents shopped that way for major electronics purchases, and some brick-and-mortar stores scored almost as high overall as the best Web sites.