Inflight Shopping......do you buy?
 

I honestly cannot remember the last time I bought any goods on board an aircraft. Browsing the duty free brochure used to be one of the highlights of flying for me even though I usually just ended up buying cigarettes and booze. Now I rarely pay any attention to it unless I have it thrust in front of my face by the missus asking me whether I'd like some watch with a brand name that I've never heard of.
She tends to buy something....usually perfume or a bag. I often wonder if she thinks she's getting a bargain or just buys for the sake of buying something.

Do you buy?

No. Its typically a lot cheaper to shop elsewhere. Amazon or eBay works well

Very rarely. It's probably been about 3 years since I even looked at Sky Buys or whatever the thing is called.

The last couple of times my BA Amex wouldn't work on board so I just gave up bothering.

No never. It's an innovations catalogue of tat.

Hi,

I buy occasionally ( esp chocolates for the office on the return flight)

Regards

TBS

I also wonder who is gullible enough to buy things when flying.

However:

A few years back I was flying from Christchurch NZ back to the UK, and I arranged to stay one night in London with, let's say, a friend, before heading to Northumberland. To my surprise he absolutely insisted on collecting me from LHR, which is very not my style, but I relented and agreed to go along with the arrangements. When the plane was a couple of hours away from London, from either a LAX or SFO flight, I flicked through my computer and with mounting horror worked out that it was going to be his 30th birthday, and thanks to the International Dateline I had got completely mixed up as to which day it was. In desperation I reached for the shiny catalogue.

So I got him what I think was a Swatch watch in a particular colour - it may have been unique to BA or something. Not very pleased with the item or the situation or my inefficient approach or indeed the cost of it on the value for money scale. But hey-ho, I was out of options. Doing my best to surpress my internal sense of shame, I handed over said watch. And he was absolutely overjoyed with it. Many years later he still wears it every day - rarely have I spent money that brought so much pleasure to another individual. I just hope he never reads this posting!

Yes because I usually spot someones birthday when I'm away that I've failed to buy a present for. Then I remember that I didn't buy anything abroad usually just as I've sat down to fly back and buy something on board.

I bought a very nice bottle of aftershave - Acqua Di Parma Intensa - that would've cost £20 or more on the ground and is not available absolutely anywhere...

No. Never. Normally I don't even bother opening the High Life Shop mag unless I am extremely bored on takeoff or approach and have no other reading matter. There are normally plenty of other opportunities to shop and then I don't have to worry faffing about on board trying to stash a carrier bag into and already stuffed overhead locker.

The FF equivalent of wiper blades and ferrero rocher :)

Yes very possibly :D Although if I ever buy someone wiper blades (without being asked for them or them being needed) I hope the recipient has the good grace to kill me :p

I do look at the brochure on SH, and once bought a small brush that fits in my purse that otherwise I can't find....

Yes...

Over the last few weeks, I have bought:

Travel Adapter.
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Set (Lip Balm in shop £20 by its self, set £22 onboard...)
Gin
Leather Passport Wallet.

I occasionally do, but I suspect I do it out of boredom when I can't sleep enough on board :eek:

Ah! I see you're a man of sophistication ^

The Charbonnel Et Walker Pink Champagne Truffles always go down well with friends and family