Sharon Griffiths contrasts her washing machine buying experience to a very different retail world of 15 years ago.

My washing machine died last Sunday morning.

When I bought it about fifteen years ago it took a lot of boring effort. I schlepped round washing machine shops large and small, gathered up bits of paper and brochures, talked to sales assistants who ranged from brilliant to utterly clueless. ('Why is that machine more expensive than the other machine by the same manufacturer? What's the difference?' ' I dunno. It just costs more.' Right….) It took a week and cost a fortune in petrol and temper.

When I finally made my decision I had to wait nearly another week for the washing machine to be delivered and installed. By which time the dirty clothes basket was like the magic porridge pot, bubbling over all the way down the stairs, there was barely a clean pair of socks anywhere in the house and I was hand-washing stuff in the bath.

This time, I cursed the broken machine and got lunch ready. While the pork was roasting, I went online and read reports, reviews, ratings and recommendations. Then I bunged the veg in the oven and went back to the computer to order the best buy machine at a bargain price. Finally, I poured a g & t, my job done.

By ten o' clock next morning my new washing machine was delivered, installed, tested and whirring very quietly away with a full load. All absolutely painless.

Shopping has changed for ever. Why would anyone want to trail around washing machine shops ever again? I mean, why would you?