Website advise and information, The Shagmiser Site

Shopping for Low Prices Online?

Then you've come to the right place. There are several (what we call) shopping bots (shopping comparison sites) on the internet that allow you to do comparative price shopping for virtually any item. From PJ's to Ming vases, portable MP3/CD players to digital cameras, these shopping bots can save you both time and money.

But there are some things to keep in mind when you're comparative shopping:

Always, and we mean always, sort by lowest price first. A lot of the default sorting done by these sites will show "paid for" inclusions first, which are not always your lowest prices.
Make sure you're able to calculate the total cost of your item. This means you have to add in shipping charges, taxes, gift wrapping, etc. Most sites will let you do this calculation directly on their site.
Always shop at more than one bot. Not any one bot may have the lowest price. Also, when you do find your item, check the merchant's site as well for any last minute deals.
Look for consumer ratings that other shoppers have given this merchant. Lots of times, the lowest priced merchant may not be the best choice. Many times we rank the quality of the merchant higher than just the lowest price.
Always check for availability. Lots of times the merchant is "out of stock" for your specific item, so before you place that order, know beforehand whether or not your item is in stock.
Many times, the reason the price is so low is because the item is used, reconditioned, or refurbished. Just know that going in. If it is refurbished, look for the term "open box." As the name implies, this refers to a product that someone bought but merely "opened the box", and does not show any signs of wear and tear. Overstock.Com does a good job of explaining the many terms used in reconditioning or refurbishing.

Here are the shopping bots we recommend.

Froogle.Com - established by the good folks at Google.Com. Although still in Beta, it offers up some of the lowest prices on the net. Froogle also offers a "local shopping" option, which is really cool. Using your ZIP code, the site will show you where you can shop locally for your item. But beware, some of the sites listed are local eBay drop-off stores and the price listed is the initial posting price, not the current bid price.

Yahoo Shopping - great deals, good comparative prices, and consumer reviews makes this one of the best shopping bots around. Build your own shopping list, even create your own store if you have products to sell.

Shopping.Com - an eBay company, they pioneered online comparison shopping. We really like this site. Join their club for up-to-date information on all sorts of buying ideas.

NexTag.Com - They use a proprietary Search And Match (SAM™) technology that enables shoppers to quickly compare prices and find the best deals on millions of products and services, including travel and real estate.

Shopzilla.Com - This is a really powerful shopping bot. Shopzilla gives you product pictures, detailed descriptions and consumer reviews. You can even add all of the items you're shopping for to your Shopzilla List and compare their features side by side.

PriceGrabber.Com - uses BottomLinePrice calculations (tax and shipping included in price), Storefronts marketplace (individuals without a website can sell their own products), merchant ratings and reviews, detailed product information and reviews, side-by-side product comparisons and email notification of the best prices and availability on the Internet.

Become.Com - the new kid on the block, Become.Com directs you to research-related information that helps you best determine what to buy, rather than providing you with search results composed of information unrelated to shopping or page after page of merchants trying to sell you something.

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Well, there you have it, our choices of the best shopping bots around. There are more, and if you have a fav we haven't listed, let us know by dropping us a line via our Contact Page.