Smart Buying on the Web

Richard KershenbaumEndacott Society Computer Study Group02-10-2010

Why shop on the web?

• Convenience – you can shop at home in your underwear

• Products delivered to your home

• Huge selection of products

• Often better prices – Internet stores have much lower overhead than “Brick & Mortar” stores

• Often no sales tax

Craigslist

• (Mostly) free online classified ads

• Started in 1995 by Craig Newmark as an e-mail distribution list for friends

• Now in 700 cities around the world

• 20 billion page views per month

• Simple site design has changed little

• Operated as a public service

• http://lawrence.craigslist.org

Shopping Search Engine Sites

• Find online sellers for desired products

• Find the best price

• Read product reviews and store reviews

• http://shopping.google.com

• http://www.pricegrabber.com

• http://www.pricewatch.com

“Hot Deals” Discussions

• Readers post deals they’ve found

• Other readers can comment

• Some deals last only hours (or less)

• http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals

• http://www.slickdeals.net

• http://bensbargains.net

Coupon sites

• Coupon codes

• Printable coupons

• http://www.mycoupons.com/

• http://www.naughtycodes.com/

• …and many others

• Use Google to find coupons

Cash-Back Sites

• Give cash back when linking to a purchase through the site

• http://www.fatwallet.com/coupons-cash-back/

• http://www.ebates.com/

• http://www.bing.com/cashback/

Rebates

• Check or debit card refund to purchaser following a sale

• Some products can even be “FAR” – “free after rebate”

• Requires follow-up:− Print the rebate form and sales

receipt as soon as you purchase− Follow the instructions carefully when

sending in the form

Rebates−Keep a copy of all materials−Keep track of the due date

• http://www.allmyrebates.com

Online shopping tips

• Consider price…but also:−Seller reputation

• Check online reviews• Beware of sites with few or no reviews –

may be fraudulent:• http://www.standard-t.com/• Shipping cost

−Does the store charge sales tax?• Stores with no physical presence in

Kansas don’t

• Rebate available?

More online shopping tips

• Always pay with credit card or PayPal−Can dispute a charge if necessary

• For technology items, appliances, etc., always use a credit card that extends the warranty, e.g.:− http://usa.visa.com/personal/visa-

signature/benefits/warranty-manager.jsp

• Keep track of rebates and follow up on any that are overdue

More online shopping tips

• Look for a used item on Craigslist or http://discuss.larryville.com/

• Free is even better than cheap−http://www.freecycle.org/group/US/

Kansas/Lawrence