I type in my name, address, credit card number, discount code, mother’s maiden name, model of first car and nickname of second-grade teacher’s oldest child and ta-dah! The online form locks up. 
 

I close out, go back in and do the whole thing once more and…it locks up again. 
 

This is a true story—mostly—and it illustrates one of the reasons I’d rather shop locally then let my fingers do the walking with online shopping. Here are a few more: 
 

1) When you shop locally, a knowledgeable store associate can not only help you choose the right product, they can also tell you how the darn thing works. I assume you already know how to use dog treats and dishtowels, but you might need some coaching on a laptop or a chain saw. A little advice could mean the difference between years of using the product happily and tossing it at the wall at the first sign of trouble, which could void your warranty.
 

2) It’s good to try before you buy, except for groceries. Don’t do that. Even if sizing were consistent, which it isn’t, women’s figures are not. Two women wearing the same dress in the same size won’t fill it out the same. And neither of them will fill it out the way the model on the computer screen does. 
 

3) Before you buy something locally, you can smell it, touch it and shake it, though if you shake it too hard, you may have to buy it even if you don’t like the way it smells. 
 

When you order online, there’s no guarantee that what you see on the screen is what you’ll get in the mail. A quick internet search of “online shopping scams” reveals a beautiful jumpsuit that looked more like pink surgical scrubs when the buyer received it, a bridesmaid dress that was more like a nightgown and an attractive bedding set that was only one pillowcase when it arrived—and not an attractive one. 
 

4) All of the above means you’re less likely to have to return your purchase. And returning products is the worst part of shopping, mainly because nothing ever fits back in the box you bought it in. It is as though new purchases expand when they’re exposed to oxygen. 
 

5) Shopping locally is good for Rapid City. When my son was young, I spent many hours watching little league baseball games and I never once saw the name Amazon, Wayfair or Overstock.com emblazoned on the back of a uniform. Doing business with the people who are regularly hit up for donations and sponsorships seems like the least we can do. 
 

Having said all of that, I’ll admit there are times when shopping online is the way to go. Maybe the product you need isn’t available locally, or maybe you’re quarantined or under house arrest. Maybe you’re embarrassed to be seen buying a particular product, like head lice shampoo or Fifty Shades of Grey.
 

I get it. But this holiday season, do your best to shop locally. Do it the rest of the year too. And start with the wonderful businesses owned by Women’s Network members.

(Dorothy Rosby is a syndicated humor columnist, speaker and author.)