Just a follow up to punkfolkrocker's comment about buying electric guitars on-line;
I don't believe it's the same as buying an acoustic.
The natural tone, resonance, tonal balance across the strings, projection, etc, etc, are essential in the selection process and these can be quite unique to a particular acoustic guitar.
Electric guitars are affected by all these factors but to a much lesser degree. If an electric guitar is well put together using decent materials (they generally all are these days)and decent pick ups installed, the sound is going to be more or less determined by what you play it through and with what effects-processing.
The inspiration to play and create comes from the tone of the instrument which an acoustic instrument must possess "naturally", which the solid-body electric can "aquire" by other means.
I love playing both and did once buy a cheap Fender Strat online to use as a back-up. Turned out to be a very good instrument but I wouldn't risk a lot of money buying an untried acoustic.