True enough, but I like to see and feel things I might want to buy. A camera, for example, is something I'd want to be sure that it had the features I want easy to access, and that it felt right in my hands.
Same for a bike. I want to sit on it and try it out, not check my 'inseam' against a chart, and get S, M or L.
Jessops has never been a great chain, but I did find it better than Jacobs. Depending on the branch, you might find some knowledgeable and helpful staff (or, on the other hand, a bunch of spotty oiks who recommend the most expensive, biggest lens in the shop
). The Sutton branch is small, and the range limited, but the customer service is excellent.
It's never going to be a Charles Eagle's, or a Janet Green, but it was OK. And, importantly, it was
there.