Post on 17-Dec-2015
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
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