Online Shopping

Smart Online Shopping: Reviews, Price Comparisons and Coupons

I still meet people who tell me they've never purchased anything on the Internet. I always tell 'em that it's safer to use a credit card online than in a department store, and there are so many tools to help you find the right product AND save money in the process. Want to find websites for product reviews and price comparison? How about special online coupons, deals and discounts? Read on!

PRODUCT REVIEWS

REVIEWS - Find out what real people in the real world think about the products they've purchased, at EPINIONS. Epinions features volunteer and professional reviews of consumer goods.

CARS - There's a wealth of free information to car buyers and sellers at Edmunds. Find new and used car prices, reviews, buying and selling advice, loan payment calculators and much more.

COMPUTER STUFF - The editors at CNET and PCWorld offer reviews, comparisons and advice for business, home and budget buyers. If you're in the market for a computer, printer, monitor, or other geeky accessory, check out these sites.

OTHER STUFF - IF you can't find the info you're looking for at one of the above sites, check Consumer Reports. A lot of their reports require a paid subscription, but if you're buying a big-ticket item, it can be worthwhile to get an unbiased look at the options.

PRICE COMPARISON

PriceGrabber was one of the first of its kind and lists products from 10,000 different merchants, from sellers that don't even have a website to some of the most well known like Best Buy and Target. In addition to comparison shopping, this search engine has a wealth of information to help you make an educated purchase such as automatically adding the cost of tax and shipping, customer reviews, product information and merchant ratings. When it comes to comparison shopping PriceGrabber is extremely user friendly.

BEST WEB BUYS - Tired of going from store to store to find the best price? Best Web Buys allows consumers to search for products they want across several stores at the same time, with a focus on Books, Music, Videos, Bikes, and Electronics.

MY SIMON - Compare products and prices from online stores around the Web. Covers Apparel & Accessories, Beauty & Health, Books, Music & Movies, Computers & Software, Consumer Electronics, Flowers, Gifts and other categories. In addition to comparison shopping, mysimon.com offers users with a weekly newsletter containing a list of the newest and most popular products throughout a range of categories. This is helpful for people who are looking for gift ideas or simply love to shop. Like some other comparison shopping sites, the downside to MySimon is that merchants can pay to have their products listed at the top. With this kind of seller bidding you may not actually be getting an accurate list of best prices, only those of competing companies that can afford to market them.

PRICE WATCH - The fastest way to find a great street price on a computer product, since August '95. Price Watch allows retailers to updates their prices in real time so you get the latest pricing info.

Natural or eco-friendly products can be extremely expensive but Pristine Planet is designed to help environmentally conscious shoppers purchase 'green' items as frugally as possible. This comparison shopping site offers the best prices from merchants that are committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable environment. PristinePlanet has an RSS feed as well as an onsite newsletter detailing the latest environmental stories.

DISCOUNTS & COUPONS

DEAL OF DAY - is a popular site for shoppers to visit BEFORE they shop. The site includes hundreds of coupons and discounts available for hundreds of web merchants. Members also enjoy message boards, live chat, contests, auctions, newsletters and more!

DealCatcheris one of the best because it not only offers thousands of online and printable coupons in 25 different categories but also allows you to do your comparison shopping via PriceGrabber. The site features forums, customer reviews, and a "catch of the day" offer updated daily. This is perfect for the savvy shopper who doesn't want to do a lot of doubling back.

AMAZING BARGAINS - Offers a consolidated source for coupons, discounts, and bargains. The stores are all hand-selected to ensure that you get the best possible online shopping experience. All the bargains are organized by category, by store, by expiration date, or by popularity.

ONLINE AUCTIONS

EBAY - It's the mother of all auction sites, the 800-pound gorilla, the whale in the fishtank of online auctions. Thousands of people buy and sell antiques, books, collectibles and a million other things here everyday. Last year, over $5 billion (USD) worth of goods was traded on the eBay site.

AUCTION INSIGHTS - Doug Feiring, creator of this site, says online auctions are easy, fun, low-risk, and can generate great income. But getting started can be a bit daunting. Auction Insights provides strategies, ideas, and resources to help you succeed in the online auction business. Learn how to create effective auction listings, find auction shareware and freeware. And for bidders, how to find the items you want at the lowest price.

OTHER POPULAR AUCTION SITES - Couldn't find it on Ebay? Try Ubid or Amazon Auctions.

CONSUMER PROTECTION

CONSUMER.GOV - A "one-stop" link to a broad range of U.S. government information resources available online. Locate information by category -- such as Food, Health, Product Safety, Your Money, and Transportation. ScamAlert! provides current information on fraudulent and deceptive practices in the marketplace.

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU - The BBB website lets you check out a company or charity, file a complaint or locate a local BBB office. Also has good information in the Consumer Tips area.

Got comments or tips to share about online shopping? Post your thoughts below...