Tag: Smart Shopping

The Internet is an excellent option for consumers who are looking to purchase appliances. From small appliances like toasters to large appliances like refrigerators shoppers can find a variety of options available to them from online retailers. This article will discuss some aspects of shopping for appliances online including popular online retailers of appliances, tips for comparison shopping for appliances online and special considerations when shopping for appliances online.

Popular Online Retailers of Appliances

There are many retailers of appliances who sell appliances online. The majority of these retailers also have stores located in a variety of locations. However, the appliances are also offered online which makes shopping for these appliances even more convenient for the consumer. Some of the popular retailers of appliances include The Home Depot, Best Buy and Lowe’s. Although all of these retailers have traditional stores where consumers can purchase appliances, the stores also offer a variety of appliances for sale online as well. Appliances for all parts of the home including refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditions and heating systems can all be found on these and other websites. Consumers who opt to purchase an appliance online may have a number of choices available to them including having the product delivered or picking up the product from a store.

Comparison Shopping for Appliances Online

Consumers can use websites provided by online retailers for comparison shopping purposes even if they intend to make their purchase from a traditional store. Traditional stores which also have an online store typically offer the same products in their online store which are available in the traditional store. As a result consumers can visit the online retailers for several different stores to browse the inventory available. Consumers can then print out information about the products available including the features and prices of the appliances and use these print outs to make comparisons of products. The alternative to this method of comparison shopping would be for the consumer to visit all of the local stores offering appliances and compile the information. The information obtained will likely be exactly the same but the consumer will spend considerably more time comparison shopping at traditional stores than they would online. This is especially true if the stores are spread out and the consumer has to travel a considerable distance to compile the information necessary for comparison shopping.

Special Considerations when Shopping for Appliances Online

There are some special considerations for consumers who wish to shop for appliances online. Typically one of the major advantages of online shopping is the ability to shop at retailers located around the world. However, when purchasing large appliances there may be considerable shipping or delivery charges applicable to the purchase.

Another factor to carefully consider when purchasing appliances online is the measurements of the appliance. Most online retailers provide all of the necessary measurements in the product description. However, if all of these measurements are not provided the consumer should contact customer service for the additional information. This will help to ensure the appliance fits properly in the available space. It will also help to prevent the consumer from having to return the appliance. This can be a costly mistake because there will likely be a fee involved with either having the appliance picked up or shipping the appliance back to the online retailers.

Savvy shoppers and bargain hunters are certainly not a new phenomenon. Ever since stores introduced the idea of sales there have been bargain hunters seeking out the best available prices on products and thrifty consumers are always seeking out ways to save money while shopping. However, online shopping offers shoppers many new ways to save money. Savvy shoppers can not only find the best deals online but can also find ways to further reduce the cost of these great deals. This article will discuss some of the ways savvy online shoppers can save money and will also discuss how these smart shoppers can also help to ensure the authenticity of an item when they are shopping online.

Finding the Best Deals Online

One of the greatest benefits of shopping online is the ability to comparison shop with ease. While comparison shopping at traditional stores may takes hours, days or even weeks for traveling from one store to another to determine which store is offering an item at the best price, online shoppers can typically accomplish the same task in a matter of mere minutes. In some cases of online shopping, finding the best deal can be as easy as going to websites which provide listings of online retailers for a particular item and produce comparison charts providing the information about the cost of these items from each retailer. This is an extremely easy method of comparison shopping and finding the best deal. However, even when this option is not available finding the best deal on a product online is typically not difficult.

Savvy online shoppers can find often find the best deal online by simply visiting websites of several online retailers and noting the price at which they are selling the item in question. One simple way to do this is to open a new web browser window for each online retailer the shopper is comparing. This way the online shopper can simply browse through the open windows all at once and then only keep open the browser windows from online retailers offering the item at the best prices. Once the online shopper narrows the search down to a few online retailers who are offering the item at a favorable price they can use other factors such as shipping prices and incentives offered to buyers such as future discounts to make the final decision and determine which online retailer is truly offering the best deal on the item.

Additional Tips for Saving while Online Shopping

Comparison shopping is one way online shoppers can find the best deals online but savvy shoppers can find additional ways to save money while online shopping. One way to do this is to seek out promotional codes offered by online retailers. This can often be accomplished by doing an Internet search including the name of the online retailer as well as phrases such as, “coupon,” or “promotional code.” This type of search may return a number of different websites which compile coupons and promotional codes for a variety of different online retailers. These coupons and promotional codes may offer the online shopper savings such as a discount off the final price of an item or free shipping. However, it is important to note that not all of these codes will be valid. Online shoppers should not only verify the promotional code is still valid but should also carefully review the restrictions involved with using the promotional code to be sure the buyer is eligible to use the promotional code to obtain a discount.

Ensuring Authenticity when Shopping Online

Savvy online shoppers also realize it is necessary to verify the authenticity of an item before making a purchase online. This is important because it can help to prevent the shopper from purchasing items which are replicas of the item they are seeking. Verifying authenticity is usually not an issue when the online shopper is purchasing an item directly from an online retailer who is licensed to sell the item. However, problems may arise when the shopper is purchasing an item through auction websites or through individual retailers. In these cases the items may be misrepresented either intentionally or unintentionally. Regardless of whether or not the online retailer is attempting to deceive the buyers or simply makes a mistake, online shoppers should know how to determine the authenticity of an item. This ability usually comes from researching the items well and being aware of the key features of the items.

Online shopping offers a wide range of advantages to shoppers but there are some precautions shoppers should take to when shopping at an online store to ensure their shopping experience is enjoyable and meets all of their expectations. Online shopping is not generally risky but consumers should pay particular attention to all of the necessary details when making purchases online. This article will discuss a few specific areas in which it is worthwhile for the consumer to read carefully to ensure they are not making a mistake with their online purchase. These areas include product descriptions, descriptions of payment options and explanations of return policies.

Checking Product Descriptions Carefully

The product descriptions on an online website are one of the most important components of the websites. This is because, unlike at traditional stores, consumers cannot physically examine the products before they make a purchase. Therefore, the consumer must rely on the product descriptions to make important decisions about whether or not to purchase a particular product. This is especially important when there are similar products available for purchase because the subtle differences may not be evident in the images available online. In these cases, consumers should pay particular attention to the product descriptions to ensure a mistake is not made in the ordering process. If the product descriptions are not descriptive enough or do not answer all of the consumer’s questions it may be worthwhile to contact a customer service representative to seek clarification about the product before making a purchase.

Understanding Payment Options

Online shoppers should also carefully investigate the payment options available before making a purchase online. This includes not only the type of payment accepted but also the total cost of the item including taxes and shipping. Without a full understanding of this information the consumer may make a costly mistake with an order. To avoid these problems the consumer should first verify the methods of payment accepted before making a purchase. In most cases this will be limited to credit cards and debit cards when online shopping. Additionally the type of credit card accepted might be limited although most online retailers will accept all major credit cards.

Regarding the use of gift cards the consumer should also investigate the policies regarding the use of these cards at the online retailer. This is important because some online retailers may limit the number of cards which can be used as well as the value of the cards which can be applied to an online purchase. This also applies to coupons and promotional codes as there may be restrictions regarding the use of these discounts. The restrictions regarding these discounts typically revolve around the times in which the discounts can be used as well as whether or not the discounts can be used on sale items or in combination with other promotional codes.

Understanding Return Policies

The need to make a return can be one of the most stressful situations resulting from an online shopping experience. Although making returns with items purchased online can often be very simple there are also some complications which may arise. To avoid these complications the consumer should read the return policies carefully and make sure he understands these policies before making a purchase. Depending on these policies the process of making a return may still be complicated and potentially expensive but as long as the consumer is aware of the policy he will not be caught by surprise when the need to make a return arises.

The most difficult situation when returning a product purchased online typically includes the consumer being fully responsible for the cost of returning the item to the online retailer. Items which are relatively small may not be particularly expensive to return but oversized items and heavy items may be quite expensive to ship. Also, expensive items may require the purchase of costly shipping insurance.

Shopping online during the holidays is quickly becoming one of the most popular options for shoppers. Although many shoppers still enjoy the hustle and bustle of doing their holiday shopping in traditional stores and may also enjoy the festive decorations festooning stores during the holiday season, many shoppers are glad to have the option to do at least part of their holiday shopping online. This is because there are a myriad of benefits to shopping online during the holiday season. Two of the most common benefits include the ability to do last minute shopping online and the convenience of avoiding overcrowded stores during the holiday season. This article will discuss these two advantages in greater detail and will also provide information on some of the other advantages to online shopping which are also important to holiday shoppers.

Last Minute Shopping for Holiday Gifts

Although there are some shoppers who are well prepared and do their holiday shopping in advance, many shoppers find themselves scrambling to purchase gifts at the last minute. These last minute shoppers far outnumber the well organized individuals who complete their holiday shopping months in advance. This category also includes not only chronic procrastinators who put off holiday shopping until the last minute but also includes well intentioned shoppers who were caught by surprise with a need to purchase gifts for a few extra people at the last minute. Fortunately for these last minute shoppers, online shopping take a great deal of the stress out of last minute shopping.

One of the greatest benefits of last minute shopping is the ability to ship gifts to friends and relatives. The available shipping options may even make it possible for shoppers to have these gifts arrive within 24 hours after making the purchase. Shoppers may pay a premium for these express shipping services but it can be a worthwhile investment for last minute shoppers who would otherwise be caught empty handed.

Avoiding Holiday Crowds by Shopping Online

The crowds at traditional stores can unbelievable during the holiday season. Finding a parking space often becomes a stressful situation and simply navigating stores can be chaotic. While some shoppers thrive in this type of environment most shoppers find this to be stressful. Furthermore some shoppers may enjoy this type of environment for brief periods of time but may have difficulty completing their holiday shopping with so much chaos surrounding them. Fortunately, online shopping provides a welcomed escape to much of the shopping chaos of traditional stores.

Online shoppers can shop when it is most convenient for them and typically the most troubling crowd related problems they experience is slow loading of websites which are overloaded by website visitors. Waiting for a few extra moments for a website to reload may be somewhat frustrating but it is significantly less stressful than standing in line at a crowded store for long periods of time.

Added Benefits to Shopping Online During the Holidays

There are also other benefits to shopping online during the holidays which do not necessarily pertain to the holiday season but certainly simplify the process of shopping online for holiday gifts. One of these benefits is the ability to comparison shop with ease. When shopping online comparison shopping is as easy as opening two different websites from competitors and comparing the products they have available and the prices they are charging for these products. This is much simpler than running around from one store to another to find out which stores have a particular item available and how much each store is currently charging for this item.

Another benefit to shopping online is the ability to purchase items from stores located far away. Holiday shoppers who limit themselves to traditional stores are also limiting the products which are available to them. These traditional shoppers can only purchase items which they physically find in a store while online shoppers can search stores around the world for a particular item. This can be particular useful for shoppers who are looking for a specific item which is hard to locate.

There are a variety of online retailers selling clothing. This includes traditional stores that also have online stores as well as retailers who operate exclusively online. Shopping for clothing online is very popular especially for those consumers who do not have sufficient time to visit traditional stores and spend time browsing and trying on clothing. It is also a popular option for consumers seeking an outfit for a special occasion who have not been satisfied with the options they found available to them in local traditional stores. This article will supply information on some of the popular online retailers of clothing as well as information on selecting clothing items online and dealing with items that do not fit properly.

Popular Online Retailers for Clothing

The majority of major traditional stores that sell clothing also have an online version of their store where consumers can browse through the inventory, make purchases and have items shipped directly to them or to friends or family members. Examples of popular traditional stores who also offer online versions of their store include Old Navy, Banana Republic, Abercrombie and Fitch and Ann Taylor. Additionally, department stores such as Target, Macy’s and JCPenny which do not exclusively sell clothing make their clothing, as well as other products, available through the online versions of their stores. Shoppers who opt to peruse the online stores for clothing may find a greater selection than there is available in traditional stores. The online stores may have items available which are only available online. Additionally, the online stores may have access to a greater inventory unlike traditional stores which may run out of popular sizes rather quickly.

Choosing Online Clothing Options Carefully

When purchasing clothing online, consumers have to be somewhat cautious. This is because it may be difficult to tell how well a clothing item will fit without trying it on first. Also, it can be difficult to assess the texture or color of clothing when shopping online. Online shoppers should read product descriptions carefully and pay particular attention to sizing charts when shopping online for clothing. This will help the consumer to make wise choices.

Online shoppers should also pay attention to the description of the cut of clothing items and should carefully compare these descriptions to the photos displayed on the website of the online retailer. This is an important consideration because consumers may prefer certain cuts which are more flattering to them while other cuts may not look as appealing. Paying particular attention to this information will help the consumer make wise decisions when shopping for clothing online.

When the Shoe Doesn’t Fit

Despite a consumer’s best intentions, there may be times in which they purchase clothing items they have to return because they do not fit well or simply because the consumer changes his mind about the item after making the purchase. For this reason, all online shoppers should carefully review the return policies of online clothing retailers before making purchases. Most online retailers will take items back regardless of the reason for the return but some of them may only assume responsibility for the shipping fees associated with the return if the item is defective. However, there are some online retailers that will not accept returns on certain items and the consumer should be aware of these restrictions before making a purchase.

Online shopping for collectibles is a very popular option. This is especially true in the case of hard to find collectibles as well as collectibles which are no longer being manufactured. Finding these collectible items in traditional stores can be very time consuming but the use of the Internet enables the shopper to find items more easily and more quickly. However, the process of shopping for these items online is not simplified unless the shopper has a good strategy for finding these collectible items online. This article will provide useful information on finding collectibles online, purchasing collectibles from other collectors and verifying the authenticity of collector’s items.

Finding Collectibles Online

The Internet is a great option for collectors who are looking for specific collector’s items as long as the collector knows where to find these items. Popular options for purchasing collector’s items of all types include auction websites, clubs for collectors and message boards for collectors. This section will focus on the use of auction websites to find collectibles while the following section will discuss the possibility of purchasing collectibles through membership in clubs and participation in message boards.

Auction websites such as eBay are ideal for collectors who are seeking items to add to their collections. Whether they collect figurines, lunchboxes, war memorabilia or any other type of collectible item there is the potential to find items to add to a collection through an auction website. These websites enable online shoppers to search for items and place bids on the items. If the user is the highest bidder at the conclusion of the auction, he will be able to purchase the item.

Purchasing Items from Other Collectors

Other collectors are often one of the best resources for shoppers looking for collectible items. Most items which consumers enjoy collecting have clubs or message boards dedicated to the collection of these items. Clubs which are formed for members who enjoy collecting any type of item often have options for members who wish to buy, sell or trade collectibles. These options may include any combination of a market place on a member’s only section of the website, a newsletter sent to all members or conventions or meetings where collectors can buy, sell or trade items.

Collectors can also participate in online message boards where they can meet and converse with other collectors who share their interests. These message boards may have a section dedicated specifically to allowing members to buy and sell items. In this section the members can typically post photos and descriptions of items they are willing to sell for other members to view. Even if there is not a section dedicated to this purpose, members can still meet other members who are willing to sell or trade items and can make arrangements to acquire these items.

Verifying the Authenticity of Collector’s Items

Consumers who opt to purchase collectible items online are often faced with the dilemma of determining whether or not the items offered for sale are authentic or not. Determining the authenticity of an item can be difficult enough when the shopper has the ability to examine the item in person and can be considerably more difficult to do this with online purchases. In these cases the use of photos and descriptions provided by the seller must be used to determine authenticity.

Online shopping offers a variety of benefits to the consumer such as the ability to shop when it is convenient, a variety of shipping options, the ability to shop with retailers located around the world and easy comparison shopping but there is also a downside to online shopping. This article will discuss some of the hassles of online shopping including dealing with slow Internet connections, making a mistake when placing an order and problems which result from failure to read the fine print.

Dealing with Slow Internet Connections

Nothing can be more frustrating to an online shopper than a slow Internet connection or a website loads very slowly. This can be problematic because it can result in it taking a great deal of time for the shopper to find the items they are seeking and make their purchase. These problems may be a result of the Internet connection the seller has, the size of the page he is trying to load or the quality of the server on which the online retailer’s website is hosted. Regardless of the cause of the problem it can be extremely frustrating and can greatly complicate the process of making a purchase online. A website which loads slowly can result in a great deal of lost time which can impact the shopper’s satisfaction with the online shopping experience. It can also diminish the appeal of online shopping by making the process much less convenient.

Making a Mistake with the Order

Another problem which may result during the process of online shopping is making a mistake while placing the order. Although this problem can occur during any type of shopping, it can often be quite difficult to correct while online shopping. During the process of online shopping, shoppers may place an order and receive an email confirmation of the order almost instantly. Upon checking the status of the order the shopper may discover a mistake but may also quickly find out correcting this mistake is not easy. This is because many online retailers automate their shopping process which makes it difficult to manually correct mistakes.

For example a shopper who realizes he used the wrong shipping address may find out the order has already entered the shipping process and can no longer be corrected within minutes after the order is placed. The order may not technically ship for a day or two but once the order is transferred to the shipper, the retailer may no longer be able to make changes to the order for the consumer. Therefore consumers should always carefully review the order before they submit the order to avoid mistakes which could be difficult to correct.

Reading the Fine Print

Finally, online shoppers should always carefully read the fine print before they make a purchase. This includes information such as the product description, payment options, cost of the product, taxes, shipping options and the return policy. All of this information is important because failure to understand this information could result in problems such as purchasing the wrong product or paying more for a product than expected. There may also be problems if the consumer needs to return the product and did not understand the return policy before making the purchase. This could result in the shopper either not being able to return the item or being responsible for the shipping costs.

For many online shoppers the ability to find rare items is one of the many appeals of online shopping. Online shopping may offer other benefits such as convenience but when it comes to hard to find collectibles online shopping can result in a tremendous time savings for the savvy online shopper. This is a direct result of the online shopper being able to visit websites of a variety of different retailers in a relatively short period of time. Without this ability the search for a specific item could not only take significantly longer but may result in the shopper never finding the item he seeks. However, although online shopping can be an excellent option for shoppers seeking rare items, it can be more difficult to verify the authenticity of these items when they are purchased online.

The Ability to Shop around the World

The ability to shop retailers located around the world is one of the primary reasons why online shoppers seeking rare items often turn to online shopping. This is important because these rare items may not be readily available in the shopper’s vicinity. However, retailers on the other side of the country or even the other side of the world may have access to these items. Obviously traveling to these distant locations to purchase an item is not always feasible but when these items are offered for sale online the buyer can purchase hard to find items from retailers anywhere in the world.

Whether a shopper is looking for an expensive one of a kind item or an item which has a great deal of sentimental value and very little financial value, traveling around the world to find this item would be time consuming and expensive. However, when this trip around the world is taken virtually by visiting online retailers around the world the shopping excursions take relatively little time and are very inexpensive. Furthermore the ability to shop online greatly increases the possibility that the shopper will be successful in his search for a particular item.

Verifying the Authenticity of Items Purchased Online

Although online shopping may be a wonderful opportunity for shoppers seeking rare items, there are some aspects of purchasing these items which are more difficult when the shopping is done online. Specifically the ability to verify the authenticity of the item is more difficult online than it is when shopping in traditional stores. This is because the buyer does not have the opportunity to carefully examine the item in person to ensure it is authentic. The authenticity of items purchased for sentimental value may not be very important because the buyer may simply be looking for an item which symbolizes a fond memory for them. However, when items are purchased as part of a collection or for the purpose of reselling the item, verifying the authenticity is critical.

Online shoppers who are concerned about verifying the authenticity of an item should ask the online retailers for any additional photos or information which will assist the buyer in verifying the authenticity of the item. If the seller is unable to provide sufficient information for the buyer to verify whether or not the product is authentic the buyer will have to decide whether or not they still want to make the purchase.

Despite the many advantages of online shopping there are also problems which may occur with this type of shopping. These problems such as ordering the wrong item, receiving the wrong item and the need to return an item can often be significant enough to make a potential online shopper reconsider the decision to purchase an item online. Although these problems are some of the most common which occur in online shopping they do not necessarily happen frequently. However, when these problems do occur they can cause a great deal of stress and frustration for the online shopper. This article will discuss some of these common problems in an attempt to help the reader make a wise decision about whether or not to purchase an item online.

Ordering the Wrong Item

When shopping in traditional stores it is quite difficult to accidentally purchase the wrong item because the sales process typically involves the consumer physically carrying the item up to the sales counter to make the purchase. However, in online shopping where the consumer never physically handles the item before the purchase is complete and the item delivered it is certainly possible to purchase the wrong item. This can occur when the shopper uses the website to make the purchase and clicks on the wrong item or when the consumer contacts customer service to make the purchase and provides the wrong product number. Even if the consumer clicks on the correct product and provides an accurate product number he may still make a mistake in the ordering process if there are options such as size or color associated with the item. This problem can be rather troubling because the consumer will be disappointed when the incorrect item is received.

Receiving the Wrong Item

Even when online shoppers do not make mistakes during the ordering process it is still possible for the consumer to receive the wrong item. This often occurs when the orders are filled by hand and a mistake is made in the warehouse. A warehouse maker may ship the wrong item completely or may ship the correct item in the wrong size or color. Again the consumer will likely not know a mistake was made until the order arrives. The online retailer will likely take responsibility for returning the incorrect item and will ship the correct item as soon as possible. However, this may not completely correct the problem in all cases. For example a consumer who purchased an item for a specific event may not receive the replacement item in time for the event.

The Need to Return an Item

In situations where the online shopper orders the wrong item as well as situations where the online retailer mistakenly ships the wrong item there may be a need to make returns. Although this may not seem to be a huge problem it can be particularly troubling for some consumers. In particular online shoppers who opt to do their shopping online specifically because they work odd hours may have a great deal of difficulty making returns. This is because the process of shipping the item back to the online retailer will generally involve taking the item to a post office. Depending on the hours in which the consumer works, it may be difficult to get to a post office during regular business hours and may require the shopper to take time off from work to make the return.

The ability to find product reviews before online shopping is very useful for online shoppers. These reviews can be very helpful for consumers who are trying to decide whether or not to purchase a particular product or attempting to compare to similar products. Based on these product reviews the consumer may make a more informed decision about which products to purchase and which ones to avoid. However, there are different types of reviews available and some product reviews are more useful than others. This article will discuss product reviews which can be found directly on the online retailer’s website as well as product reviews which can be found on websites dedicated to compiling product reviews.

Reviews on the Online Retailers Website

Many online retailers provide reviews of products they offer for sale directly on their own website. These reviews typically fall into two categories and include consumer product reviews and product reviews offered in terms for compensation. Consumers who are using these reviews to gather information about a product should proceed with caution to ensure they understand what type of reviews are being offered on the website.

Consumer reviews are typically the best resource for consumers who want to learn more about a product. This includes reviews which come from others who have purchased and used the product in question. These reviews are usually completely candid and offer great insight into the form and functionality of the product. Online shoppers who find the majority of consumers are satisfied with a particular product may be reassured they have selected a high quality product. Conversely online shoppers how consistently find negative reviews of a particular product may wish to consider purchasing a different item.

Online retailers also sometimes feature reviews on their website from reviewers who have been compensated to provide a review. When a retailer compensates an individual to make a review it is usually necessary to divulge this information because the review may tend to rate the product more favorably than they would if they were not compensated to do so.

Websites Provided for Consumers to Review Products

There are also websites available which are dedicated to compiling product reviews. This includes websites such as epinions.com. Here consumers can browse through a variety of products to find additional information in the form of product reviews for products they are considering purchasing. The reviews they find may be incredibly detailed and useful or they may be brief and provide very little useful information. Consumers are advised to consider these opinions carefully especially when there are a large number of reviews available which seem to be in agreement regarding the quality of the product. However, when there are only a few reviews available it can be much more difficult for the consumer to formulate his own opinion of the product based on these reviews posted on the website. Consumers are also advised to ignore reviews which vary significantly from the majority of the other review posted. These reviews may be mistakenly referring to the wrong product or may demonstrate an anomaly. For example if the majority of reviews are overwhelmingly positive but one or two reviews are negative it is generally acceptable to ignore the negative reviews as long as the company selling the product is reputable and there are enough positive reviews available to convince the shopper the product is worthwhile.