- Online Shopping - How to Become an Online Bargain Hunter -

Admit it, it is much nicer to shop online than to drive to a crowded mall, where you might or might not find what you were looking for. More and more consumers have discovered how easy and conventient it is to do shop in the comfort of one's own home. Yet you may ask yourself what price you are paying - after all, many online stores charge shipping fees (or build them into the price). Are you paying too much for the convenience of online shopping?

The solution is to become a savvy online bargain hunter. Follow these rules to increase your chance of getting a great deal:

Stay informed of great deals These sites offer frequently updated information on online deals: http://www.techbargains.com, http://www.slickdeals.net, http://www.bensbargains.net, http://www.dealsofamerica.com, http://www.mybargainbuddy.com.

Always compare prices before you buy. Just because website "A" announces a sale doesn't mean that it offers the lowest price. Websites such as http://www.pricegrabber.com and http://www.pricescan.com will give you detailed pricing information.

Compare apples to apples. Price comparison sites sometimes lump used and new articles, retail and OEM versions together. Make sure you are actually comparing identical items.

Read store reviews. Sites such as pricegrabber.com and shopping.com also include reviews about the online store, so that you can avoid a store that might be cheaper but has lots of customer complaints.

Read the fine print before you order. What shipping fees does the store charge? Are there any "handling fees" (a rather sneaky trick when combined with "free" shipping)? What are the store's return policies?

Print out your order. After your confirmation page shows up, print out your order so that you have proof of what your ordered and at what price. Don't rely on finding the data later on the website - the site could change any moment.

Concentrate on larger items. Getting a pack of CD-RWs for $2 less than at your local computer store might be nice, but it is hardly worth your time. Spend your time looking for bargains on higher-priced items - computers, electronics, cameras, etc.

Be wary of rebates. It is great to get an article cheaply or free after rebate, but look carefully at the conditions (original receipts vs. copies, etc) and deadlines, and try to find out if the company in question has a good reputation about honoring rebates in a timely fashion.

Be patient. Frantic, last-minute shopping rarely leads to bargains. If you know that you will purchase an item in the near future, do some price comparisons, read revews, and wait for an online sale.

Pamela Bruce lives in Austin, TX. She is the owner of Love Beads Unlimited and sells the sterling silver and Swarovski crystal bead jewelry she designs and creates both in her eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/LOVE-BEADS-UNLIMITED) and on her website at http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com, where you can also download the free e-book "A Consumer's Guide to Buying Bead Jewelry Online".