Although the fall of HMV and Jessops were inevitable with so many people going online, I have to say I'm a bit saddened by it. I'm probably one of the only 90's kids that can say they're nostalgic about the good old days of going into a shop to buy a book or a CD, I'm starting to detest online shopping. For starters buying clothes is so awkward, especially if you're female - every shop has a different size range, so whilst you could be a size 10 in one, you're a size 14 in others. If what you buy doesn't fit you can't even take it to a store, you have to pay to post it back, so you're losing out money-wise.
I also can't stand things like the Kindle. Don't get me wrong, I love my Nexus 7 but I will never, ever buy a book on there. I love books, and I love being able to have a whole bookcase full of them, it's like an accomplishment for me to have so many. I'd also go and pay a bit extra at Waterstones to on Amazon any day. The staff at Waterstones are always really helpful and friendly, and if they don't have a book they order in for me. Last time I tried to order a book from Amazon they tried to tell me my address doesn't exist or the courier was unable to access (I live with Clock'd, yet he never seems to have any trouble)
I also think it's because I'm so impatient. Honestly, I'm like Scott Pilgrim sitting by the door waiting for it to arrive as soon as I've ordered.
I hate what the high street has become now too. Any new shop in our town is either another charity store (they're closing down because of lack of donations!) or coffee shop. We have 3 costas within 5 minutes walking distance of each other; I estimate there to be at least 15 different coffee shops just on the main high street. And when Woolworths closed down it turned into a 99p store, with a Poundland round the corner.
The kindle is possibly the greatest gadget I own.
I used to be like you, hated the idea of it but then i started travelling more with work and resented finishing a book and having nothing more to read that week so i asked for one as a gift two Christmases ago.
Then i realised I'm a lover of reading books rather than just watching them collect dust on a shelf.
I find a read more, faster and everywhere I go using a kindle. No longer do I have to choose between a set of books when I'm going on a trip away, I bring them all with me... In something that fits into my jeans pocket that can be whipped out for a quick read in a pub, cafe, bus stop...whatever.
I still buy books sure and I do swap books with workmates but I'd say 99.9999% of all reading I do is now completed on the kindle. It's also superb for unknown authors and discovering new books.
One thing it is a bit pants on are reference books, much prefer being able to write notes on post its and mark pages, rather than the digital equivalent.