Welcome to Gaia! ::

A local store is way better than an internet site. You can touch what you're buying and see it first hand instead of looking at an image of what they "SAY" they will send you. There's a couple of really cool stores in my area, one's gone a little too new age lately (trendy stuff with the real stuff in the back), but the other is run by a Gypsy woman and it still has a strong feel in it.

Since most is not really available near me at all, I have to go with the internet =/ That is important to know blessings and stuff to help things attune to you and such.

Also, some things you can possibly fabricate yourself, which if done right can be great as you are pouring your energy into the items as you are working on their creation.

i go to a local store called the cosmic eye...its awesome! i dont have a credit card, so i have to use what i find in stores. you can find lots of things, sometimes cheaper than the internet.

It depends...for herbs and oils and stones and such, I use a local store. The store around here is less wiccan/pagan-related, and more new-agey/eclectic. they have inspirational statues and charms and cards and blahblahblah, but a lot of their things can be used much less fluffy-ly. The owner is...pagan, I believe, and a good friend of hers who reads cards there is wiccan, but a lot of people who come in there are Christians just looking for some inspiration.
For more hardcore supplies, I use an internet shoppe. My athame, for example, was ordered from Abaxion.

However, many of my supplied are not purchased from stores specifically for their intent. I had a set of brass dishes purchased from a garage sale (they were probably used as ash trays in their previous ownership) which I use to hold salt and water on my altar. I make a lot of my supplies, too, when I can. As an art student, I spent most of my time painting and carving and constructing anyway, so why not do it with a purpose? I carved a goddess figure out of plaster for a Design I assignment, and later used it as an effigy for my altar...I did some meditation while carving it, and I think it came out very well...It also probably got the highest grade of all my assignments in that class.

Depending on were you live...Look in stores everywere. even ones you would'nt think would have wiccan stuff in it.

I buy from a local store. Well, there's a couple of stores locally (3 or 4) but I choose the one with the best energy and vibes. I haven't ordered anything online; I'm considering buying my boline online becaues I've found one that I fell in love with. ^.^

I'm not sure if I'd buy everything online; I have to be able to touch and feel what I'm buying.

I actually perfer to make my own tools, just because it makes them more personal.

Well, for books and such i go to Barns N Noble and Waldenbooks.
For herbs i usually go to the local grocery store. They have lots of dried herbs.
And for everything else:
NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF GOODWILL and VALUE VILLAGE!!! They have so many great alter decor in their glass, tableware, and other random isles!!! I get the best stuff there for sooooooo cheap!!!