I went into one of my two local music shops this afternoon - wasting time while Mrs. Neepheid was in the hairdressers and meeting her for lunch after. Unfortunately that only used up about 5 mins of my time and had to find other ways to kill time. Bass offerings are really pitiful up here. The other shop sometimes has interesting stuff in as they sometimes sell second hand instruments but it was too far from the hairdressers to be able to return promptly if I got the call.
So, trip to Glasgow, or buying online. I wouldn't go to Glasgow specifically to try a bass I might not buy - 5 hour round trip at best. Fuel and time? Nah, I'll just get it delivered, thanks. Even if I send it back simply because I don't like it, it would still cost me less than going to a shop with stock worth a damn.
How do I know what I want? Trial and error. Fitting a revolving door to your house makes things a bit more efficient