Smart Buying on the Web Richard Kershenbaum Endacott Society Computer Study Group
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 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
Shopping Search Engine Sites Find online sellers for desired products Find the best price Read product reviews and store reviews
“Hot Deals” Discussions Readers post deals they’ve found Other readers can comment Some deals last only hours (or less) dealshttp:// deals
Coupon sites Coupon codes Printable coupons …and many others Use Google to find coupons
Cash-Back Sites Give cash back when linking to a purchase through the site cash-back/ cash-back/
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
Online shopping tips Consider price…but also: − Seller reputation Check online reviews Beware of sites with few or no reviews – may be fraudulent: 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.: − signature/benefits/warranty-manager.jsp 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 Free is even better than cheap − as/Lawrence as/Lawrence