Comparison Shopping
Compare and shop for goods and services.
Comparison shopping is the process of evaluating the specifications,
quality, and pricing of similar products from different suppliers.
Comparison shoppers may begin the process by window shopping online or
at local retail stores, and often purchase a product after reviewing
information from a variety of sources. These sources may include
internet product and pricing research, phone calls to check prices, and
current magazines for product reviews and ratings.
Today, shoppers can conveniently comparison shop online. Comparison
shopping websites feature internet product directories where consumers
can search for items and compare prices from multiple vendors.
Online shopping sites often charge different prices for the same item, so
it is important to check prices and shipping costs from several etailers
before making an impulse purchase. Furthermore, customer service
and return policies vary from store to store, so it is wise to consider
these issues before buying a product that might need to be returned for
credit or a refund. Finally, when all other factors are equal, you
may wish to shop at a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited business.
Interestingly, many shopping websites feature the same product data
because web merchants often distribute their products through a wide
range of shopping sites. However, the best comparison shopping
sites display their products like well-stocked stores, and even offer
product descriptions, coupons, and shipping promotions, as well as
generous return policies and user-submitted reviews. Recent
innovations include local search for brick-and-mortar stores and price
check support for wireless devices such as cell phones.
Price comparison sites and shopping search engines are popular internet destinations, but online shoppers can also benefit by reading consumer ratings and browsing manufacturer sites for product specifications, illustrations, and suggested retail prices.
Popular Comparison Shopping Sites
- mySimon
Premier comparison shopping destination helps people make more informed purchase decisions when they shop.
www.mySimon.com - Best Web Buys
Price comparison service allows consumers to search for products they want across several stores at the same time.
www.BestWebBuys.com - BizRate
Shopping search engine strives to list a broad range of stores and products, with price, availability, and ratings information.
www.BizRate.com - PriceGrabber
Convenient resource for locating and comparing products, merchants, and prices online.
www.PriceGrabber.com
Other Comparison Shopping Resources
- Chosen Sites
Visit this growing network of comparison shopping sites, where you'll find links to online dealers, manufacturers, reviews, and other resources! Most of these sites are free of annoying pop-up ads, and many of them offer free shipping and discount prices.
www.ChosenSites.us - Quisto Shopping Directory
This convenient shopping directory containing thousands of hand-selected and categorized sites offers many quality resources for businesses and consumers.
www.Quisto.com - Outlet Malls
A factory outlet mall is an ideal place to comparison shop for apparel, shoes and accessories as well as small appliances and home decor products. Prices are discounted and you can often compare similar products at at several stores.
www.OutletMalls.us
Safe Shopping Online
- SafeShopping.org
Informational site, created by the American Bar Association, will help you order safely when shopping online. You'll find that cyber-shopping is fast, convenient, and opens up a whole new world of merchandise for you and your family.
www.SafeShopping.org - Consumer Reports
This well-known subscription-based site features a wealth of information, comparisons, and reviews about many consumer product categories.
www.ConsumerReports.org
Related Shopping Sites
- Catalog Shopping - mail order catalogs.
- Gift Catalogs - gifts for every occasion.
For your convenience, certain external links will open in new windows.
ComparisonShopping.us is a Chosen Sites™ resource.