Shopping Tips
How To Do Price Comparison Online
Even if you have been using online price comparison sites, read the following smart tips and they might help to take your discount shopping skills to the next level.
Go through More than One Price Comparison Sites
Be comprehensive and don't stick with only one comparison destination. Before you make your final call, spend a few extra minutes to quickly browse through what other online shopping 'bots' report back prices to you. There are dozens of bots available at your fingertips to choose from. You'll mostly likely to spot better deals by going through more comparison sites. Here's a list for your reference:
Sort by Price
You'd expect price comparison sites default to show you the best price. Well, the reality is that they tend to default the listings to be sorted in many possible ways and not necessarily by price. The first thing you see the returned listings on a price comparison page is to locate price sorting functionality (a link, a pulldown , etc.) and make the listings sorted in prices to scan through them. However, cheapest is not necessarily the best option, though. Merchants offering the cheapest price might not be as reliable or well known as other big online stores. Paying the price of going too cheap is the last thing you want to end up with.
Factor in Shipping & Tax
Comparing prices should really mean comparing on out-of-the-pocket prices, not just the listing prices, so please do factor in shipping cost plus applicable tax. Many price-comparison destinations let you enter your zip code and quote you with prices based on estimated tax and shipping charges. Remember to give out your zip code to have them factor the shipping and tax into the final price quotes.
Know New vs. Refurbished
It is up to the shoppers to read the fine print of product item whether the products being listed are new or refurbished. Refurbished items tend to be mixed up in the price comparison, so you'd like to weed them out. If you're only looking for brand new ones as in most cases, don't be distracted or fooled by super low prices. Unfortunately, telling old from new products is in shoppers' interests to perform because you as a shopper can't rely on others to tell you that. I would always pay extra attention to the item just to make sure the satisfied price I found is not for a refurbished item.
last revised on 2007-01-07
by Charles Gwa
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