It is not just about having information at the fingertips. It's the convenience of being able to shop sitting in the comfort of your home. Online shopping saves a lot of time and if you are smart, it can save a lot of money too.



Product Comparison Sites

Lets say you want to buy a digital camera. You are impressed by the ads you have seen of that particular model and the features it offers. You can't wait to get your hands on it. If I were you, I wouldn't rush to the shop yet. You should rush to a product comparison site instead. It saves a lot of time and energy that you would otherwise spend in driving around in search of a good bargain. As you have already decided on the model you are going to purchase, no need to browse through the categories. Just use the Search Tool these product comparison sites typically offer. You get all the relevant listings but not necessarily sorted from low price to high price. I typically sort them to get feel for the range of prices being offered.

If a product is being offered at ridiculously low prices, I would be suspicious of the shop/deal. After all, there are no free lunches in this world. However, it is important to note that we come across many legitimate, not-yet-known-to-you kind of shops offering attractive deals.

Internet Coupons

Even after finding the best deal at the product comparison sites, I would not buy immediately. There is one more important step that can get me up to 25% off on online or in-store purchases. Internet coupons, be it the printable variety or the product code that need to be entered in online purchase forms, should be taken full advantage of. Just search for the coupons using regular search engines like Google. For example, a simple search for "Circuit City coupon code" can save you, if you are lucky, 10% or more on purchases at Circuit City.

In-Store Pickup

Many people are put off by the waiting time for the product to get shipped to your address. Recognizing this, many brick-and-mortar stores offer you an option to purchase online and then pick up the product just after 30 minutes of ordering the product. Wow! Best of both worlds.

In summary, time is too precious to be wasted in traffic jams and long queues. For me, its best spent with my loved ones and Internet enables me to do just that. Leverage the power of this wonderful medium called Internet. Do all your research, window-shopping and even your purchases online from the comfort of your home. Product Comparison sites are set up to help you in this regard. Let the precious time, that should be spent with your loved ones, not be wasted elsewhere.