Well I have purchased many seeds...and typically I get free ones with every order. For my situation (and all growers on here have different set-ups, lights, space, fans, organic, chemical nutes, veg room, flower room, one room for both veg then flip to flower, rooms to store mother plants...etc, etc...) it's easier to not clone..I want variety..so when I'm done growing an autoflower for quick easy bud on hand...then I throw down a photperiod seed and grow it out veg to flower...then maybe get some auto seeds next grow for quick bud, and so forth. I've actually never even grown out a clone. I've always started from seed
I like taking a couple cuttings before I flower the plant, if it's a good strain then I'll have a plant ready to flower again by the time my bud's ready, and I can keep my favorite strains around this way
I made one order when I first started learning to grow(around same time of my join date) and will make another order to get me through the next year soon since I just planted my last 3 seeds. Cloning just doesn't strike me as mandatory, yet at least. Once I get a successful harvest done and have the grown enough strains to get an idea of which are my favorites then maybe I'll start picking the best of those strains for cloning. I also don't have a separate grow space for them at the moment either.
if you're growing and flowering in the same space, it's a pain in the ass I have a cloning dome and cfl over it. Once seeds are popped or clones are rooted, they move to 2x 104w 2' t5 6500k grow lights that veg a few plants to flower, as well as lighting a tray of clones and seedlings. Once they graduate that area, they go to the flowering closet.
I buy new seeds every grow. I like variety and starting fresh every time, and do not have a dedicated cloning/veg area to work with.
Seeds can create a garden with multiple strains, normally personal use, let's you get 1 plant of 6 strains say if you grow legally-get different types of medication. Cloning can give you a bunch of a single strain= more for profit. It's easier to sell 1 Pound of X than 1 oz of each A, C, X, Z, and D. Reputable seed bank that ships to America: grasscity.com every time I post link it auto changes to grasscity.com. Not cool. I get my seeds from Attitude sees bank in UK ^ where I get my seeds
I'm not doing a continuous grow. I just grow when I need some more, so I'll start with seeds, but if I happen to have a great plant I'll take a clone or two. Not against clones, but seeds are mostly what I'll use.
There's nothing wrong with growing out a pound or so from one good freebie seed, then moving on to the next flavor (if you've got the patience for it). It's a good way to stretch out your personal funds while still getting a different strain every couple of months. Of course, if you've got the expendable income then it's a matter of preference.
I prefer to grow from seed. Mainly because I do not want to maintain a seperate grow space for mothers. I like the variety as well.