With the recent arrival of my dress sporran and quaich, I started to think of the advantages and disadvantages of Scottish shops versus online stores.

This all started when my folks came back from 10 days in Palm Springs. They had popped into a local Scottish store when there, and had brought information about the shop back. Apparently the owner was very knowledgeable and helpful. I was looking over the price list that they came back with, and I was blown away by the prices. Even after tax and duty, a kilt from this place would have cost me $150 more than I paid for a kilt from Scotland.

I started to think back to my own local store. It is a great shop and always fun to check in to. However, I have never ordered anything substantial from them due to the hugely inflated prices. Let's look at what I ordered online veruses what I would have spent supporting a local business.

Ordered:
Kilt 16oz handsewn in Jura range wool
online- $516.65 before tax
local shop- $895.00 before tax

Charcoal tweed jacket and waistcoat
online - $380 before tax and duty
local shop - $628 before taxes ($459 for the jacket, $169 for the waistcoat)

Dress Sporran with Celtis knot and thistle design cantel
online -$214.40 before taxes
local shop -$399.00 before taxes

So while I would love to actually support the local shops, I just can't see how that makes sense. While I love going into the shop, they do have a pretencious feel to the people working there, prices are outrages, and their wait times are usually triple what I have to deal with ordering direct. Now before we start trying to compare the quality of the products offered, let me point out that both the online and the local shop offer the products from the same suppliers, therefore the quality will be the same.

Are Scottish stores in North America still a viable idea, or has the growth of the internet based Highland dress business (particularly in Scotland) made these shops obsolete? The idea is the same, the products are made by suppliers in the UK and sold through a third party. Neithe rof these businesses sell their own products, but instead broker the deal. I understand rent and overhead costs, but those apply to both firms, and I assume the rent in Scotland is more than here.

Someone explain it to me.