The Secret of Online Holiday Savings
Secret #1- Standard shipping dates may vary from store to store. Most people assume that standard shipping is 5 to 7 business days. That is not true. Each store will have their own formula for standard shipping. I have seen everything from 3-5 days to 4-6 weeks for standard shipping dates.
Rule #2- Know your shipping cost. The biggest complaint I have heard from people is the amount they have to pay for shipping. Many sites will even have different costs for different types of items. Some stores charge by weight and some by the number of products purchased. The important thing is to calculate your shipping into your product to determine your "real cost". One store might offer lowest prices but their shipping may be higher.
Secret #2- Some stores offer FREE SHIPPING (usually standard shipping). As I glanced through preparing this article I found a number of stores that were offering free shipping that I did not even know about. For example, Sears.com is currently offering Free shipping on selected tools. You can learn more about Free shipping by going to Reginald's Favorite Free Shipping Sites.
I had to spend a little extra time on shipping because that is where a lot of people get hung up on. When you get to the shipping cost, just ask yourself, what is the price of convenience. If you find what you're looking for and the only decision left is the price of shipping, determine the cost of having it come directly to your door compared to having to go to the mall or department store to find the item, stand in line, and carry it home.
Rule #3 - There are search engines that will help you find the lowest prices for an item. The two that come to my mind are www.mysimon.com and DealCatcher. You will find that DealCatcher will also calculate shipping cost for an item. I have also found that they show a larger selection of stores and ultimately lower prices than MySimon.
Secret #3- These shopping comparison sites help if you are in a hurry, but... you must understand that the sites they list pay them a fee to be listed in their search engine. Therefore, they do not search "all shopping" sites. I have actually found lower prices by shopping on my own- but not that much difference.
Secret #3 1/2-
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