Internet or High Street? STEPHEN LEWIS ponders the best way of doing his last-minute Christmas shopping and seeks advice on where and how to shop.

CHRISTMAS is a time when I like to count my blessings. Chief among them being that I don't have an 11-year-old son who is demanding that Santa bring him an Xbox 360 console for Christmas.

I am not even sure what an Xbox 360 console is, other than that it's something you play computer games on. What I do know is that it seems to be this year's Christmas must-have - and, in the way of these things, you can't get hold of one for love nor money.

PC World at Monks Cross, York, didn't have any and couldn't even give a price. "Microsoft haven't given us any," a pleasant but worried-sounding woman said. "There is so much demand."

Dixons, in Coney Street, York, was also unable to help. They had still been unable to fulfil pre-Christmas orders, so the chance of me being able to get an Xbox 360 before Christmas was slim, a woman shop assistant said apologetically. She could at least give me a price, however: £279.99 for a console with hard drive.

Where the High Street couldn't deliver, surely the internet could provide?

Well, perhaps not. Shopgenie listed the console at £279.99 - but added the annoying rider: "Temporarily out of stock. Will despatch when it arrives." It was the same story at the John Lewis website: "Out of stock. Unprecedented demand."

I was about to give up when - bingo! - I at last found a website that did seem to offer a crumb of hope. It was eBay (of course) and the website had, up for auction, a "brand new, factory-sealed Xbox 360 core console (which, unlike the standard console, does not include the hard drive). The sobering bit was that already bidding for this much-prized item had reached £330 (more than £100 above the list price) and was probably going to continue rising.

I gave up in disgust, an option not open to those poor parents who do have 11-year-old sons demanding an Xbox 360 console for Christmas. Instead, I was left to reflect on the relative merits of doing the Christmas shopping in town or on the internet.

There are many people who enjoy shopping. Most, I suspect, are women - odd, incomprehensible creatures such as my wife who enjoy nothing more than flicking through endless rows of clothing at TK Maxx in search of the perfect bargain top.

Then there are those who hate shopping. Most, I suspect, are men like me - rational beings who, as soon as they step through the doors of a shop, feel their legs turning to rubber and their brains to mush.

Whichever type of shopper you are, there are pros and cons to doing your Christmas shopping both in the High Street and on the internet.

If you love shopping, the High Street has to be king - especially at this time of year.

Yesterday was a cold, uninspiring Monday and yet York city centre was buzzing. In Marks & Spencer, people were queuing to get on to the elevators, and the brightly decorated Christmas trees on the first floor were winking and twinkling in a way that reminded me, oddly, of Sir Elton John.

It was hard to move at Next in Coney Street but outside there was a throng of cheerful people flowing past the Big Issue seller and a Chinese girl selling purses, scarves and knick-knacks from a cart. In the windows of La Senza there was an eye-catching display of saucy underwear.

Despite rumours that internet shopping was hitting the High Street hard, Di Golding, manager of the Coppergate Centre and vice-president of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, insisted that so far it had been an excellent Christmas in York.

Shops, she pointed out were "wonderful... for people who just enjoy shopping" and incomparable for browsing.

"When it comes to wanting a choice, and to making comparisons between things, that's when the High Street comes into its own," Di said. "That's why you tend to get shops in clusters, like shoe shops together, so that people can make comparisons."

There are also certain types of goods - clothes, for example - that are generally better bought in the High Street, Di said. "You've really got to try them on, and see what range of choice is available."

On the other hand, she admitted, there were goods that could perfectly well be bought online. "If you don't need to see it or feel it before you buy, then - especially for people who don't enjoy shop-ping - the internet is perfect," she said.

As a confirmed shopaphobe, I found it easier simply clicking on to Google than flogging my way around busy streets from shop to shop - or ringing up to check availability only to find myself hanging on while a recorded voice told me: "Thank you for calling. To enable us to help you, please choose from one of the following four options..."

And with the rise of broadband, internet providers ntl point out, internet shopping is getting quicker and easier all the time.

There are still those niggling doubts, however: how do I know someone isn't going to get hold of my credit card details? What guarantees do I have that my goods will be delivered on time? And what if, when I receive them, I want to send them back?

Colin Rumford, head of trading standards in York, admitted there were advantages and disadvantages to shopping online. Among the advantages: convenience and price.

"There are definitely bargains to be had out there," Colin said. "Although there are bargains in shops too." Among the disadvantages: possible lack of consumer rights protection if the products you buy are sourced abroad, or if you buy at auction.

Pros and cons of online shopping

Pros

- Quick and easy access to a huge range of products, and savings in both time and money

- Purchases can be delivered wherever you want: perfect if you want a gift delivering to someone for Christmas

- Most purchases over the internet are covered by "distance selling arrangements" which means you have a seven day "cooling off" period following receipt of the goods in which, as long as they are undamaged, you can decide to return them (this does not apply to consumer durables such as food or milk).

- Many internet shopping sites have feedback sections where customers can post a message summarising the service they received. This means you can check out previous customer satisfaction ratings before you buy.

- When you pay by credit card, your credit card company will assume liability should the company from which you have bought a product goes bust before it is delivered.

Cons

- You often don't know the full address of the people you are buying from. If they are not based in the UK, this could potentially cause difficulties. Goods from abroad may not, for example, comply with UK safety regulations. Also, guarantees may not apply in this country if goods are sourced from abroad

- Security. Many people feel uneasy about entering their credit card and other personal details on a website. The key, Colin Rumford says, is to check that the website is secure. If it is, there should not be any problem. Most internet shopping sites take you to a special secure page to complete your purchase. To make certain the page is secure, simply look at the address. All internet address begin with "http". Secure addresses have an extra "s": so they begin "https". Even on secure sites, Colin says, always give the minimum amount of information.

- A price quoted online may seem a bargain: but beware of hidden costs. These can include VAT and delivery costs - and can push up the price.

- If you buy something at auction - for example, on eBay - you don't have the same consumer rights. It is more a question of "the buyer beware", Colin says. The same is true if you are buying from a private individual rather than a company.

- Beware of counterfeit goods - particularly CDs, DVDs and computer software. Not only are these of inferior quality, you could yourself be infringing copyright laws by using them, no matter how much you paid.

- Even though you have the legal right to send goods back within seven days of receiving them, you may be required to pay for this. Check the small print.

Internet v High Street price/availability comparison

Xbox 360 console

High Street:

PC World, not available, no price. Dixons, Coney Street: not available. Priced £279.99 when available

Internet:

Shopgenie, not available, £279.99. John Lewis website, not available, £279.99. eBay, Xbox 360 core console (without hard drive) available. Bid at £330 and rising.

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory DVD

High Street:

Woolworths, Coney Street, York: £15.99. HMV, Coney Street, £13.99.

Internet:

Two DVDs (including Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) for £8 plus £2 p&p at offers.channel.com

iPod nano, black, 4GB

High Street: Dixons, Coney Street: sold out, but will have more in before Christmas at £179.

Internet:

Available from apple.com with free personal inscription for £179.00. Available from yahoo.co.uk for £174

Guinness Book Of World Records

High Street:

Waterstones, York: sold out. Borders, York: sold out but expecting more soon: £10. WH Smith, Coney Street: available at £12.

Internet:

Available from swestbooks at £19.95

Updated: 08:54 Tuesday, December 13, 2005