Although these services all provide keyword searching for products and highly detailed product directories, each has its own combination of special features and particular strengths.
All offer gift-buying guides for the holidays. While the specific gifts they suggest for particular age groups, family members, occasions, etc., might not be suitable for those on your list (especially if Grandma is more interested in Bob Dylan than gardening), they can get your mind working in new directions.
YAHOO! SHOPPING - THE BIGGEST! THE FASTEST! THE MOST POPULAR!
Whatever you're shopping for, go to Yahoo! Shopping first. It has the largest index of products of any of the search engines, and the most extensive and detailed product directory, so you're likely to find a wider selection of most products. In addition, Yahoo! Shopping is very fast, clearly designed, and doesn't waste your time with nonessentials.
Results of Searches for Products: Each item resulting from a keyword search for products includes a picture of the product, product name, name of the merchant, number of matching products from the same merchant (if there is more than one, a link is provided to a list of the merchant's matching products), and price.
Yahoo! Shopping's format, which uses the whole width of the page and doesn't show all matching items from a store, makes it possible to view products from many stores without continually going to a new page.
If you have registered with Yahoo, you can save items (without purchasing them) to view at a later time.
Top Service: Some stores indicate Top Service. This means that the store has gotten at least 95% positive ratings in Yahoo's Customer Rating Program.
Product Directory: The categories in Yahoo! Shopping's product directory are amazingly specific. The subcategory of Women's Shoes, for example is divided into 12 subsubcategories (e.g., Boots, Clogs, Mary Janes, Sandals, etc.), and the Furniture subcategory includes 21 subsubcategories (e.g., Chairs, Sofas, Home Office Furniture, Entertainment Centers, etc.).
Gift Recommender: Yahoo! Shopping's Gift Recommender can be personalized on three parameters simultaneously for adults - gender, relationship (business, romantic, family, friend) and seven occasions (anniversary, birthday, new job, etc.). Gift suggestions for children and teens can be personalized by gender, and four age categories (infant, toddler, child or teen) simultaneously.
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