Another advantage slide film has is that when you get your slides back , you can look at them on the light table and tell exactly what was recorded on film. Your local camera shop can be a great help when just starting out in photography. When ordering from a mail order camera shop or online,you probably won't get the detailed advice that you would with a real person. One must also be very carefull when ordering with a mail order camera shop not to be ripped off. Things are not as bad as they used to be, but there are still risks involved with buying equipment you don't see untill days after you pay for it.
Some shops sell grey market equipment and film that comes without a USA warranty.
This may be OK as long as you make sure you know what you are buying. I have several diffent labs I have prints made with including a local lab. It's just a matter of trial and error, you must be able to find a lab that is resonably priced that does good work. Just because a lab charges alot does not ensure they will do a good job. If you don't like the results let the lab know about it, just make sure that the reason for the poor results isn't due to your bad slide or neg.