When shopping do you call ahead?

Question

When you go shopping, but you are not sure if a store has the item you want, do you phone ahead to see if they have it in stock, or do you just go to the store blindly?

Answer 1

I always call because I don't have a car, I have to take the bus so it helps to know if a store has an item or not.

Answer 2

If I'm looking for something specific, then I definitely call ahead.  

Answer 3

Going to a store to purchase a particular item isn't really 'shopping'.

It's 'buying'.

If I have a particular need in mind, then I will often call ahead.  For example, if I need a replacement blind for my house, I would call a couple of stores in my area to make sure that I was going to the correct place.

However, if I'm just 'shopping' for a new pair of shoes, I would go to the local shoe stores to see what they had to offer.