Smart Buying on the Web

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Smart Buying on the Web

• Richard Kershenbaum
• Endacott Society Computer Study Group
• 02-10-2010

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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

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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

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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

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Hot Deals Discussions

• Readers post deals theyve 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

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Coupon sites

• Coupon codes
• Printable coupons
• http//www.mycoupons.com/
• http//www.naughtycodes.com/
• and many others
• Use Google to find coupons

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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/

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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

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Rebates

• Keep a copy of all materials
• Keep track of the due date
• http//www.allmyrebates.com

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Online shopping tips

• Consider pricebut 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 dont
• Rebate available?

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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/benefi
  ts/warranty-manager.jsp
• Keep track of rebates and follow up on any that
  are overdue

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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