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The Secret to Online Bargains

By Elizabeth Wasserman

Shopping for bargains can be a full-time job: Running from store to store so you can compare prices, clipping coupons from newspapers and magazines, and rummaging through clearance racks. But for busy families, time is too precious to spend countless hours and travel time in search of rock-bottom prices.

So what's the solution?  Online bargain hunting.. "The Internet has changed bargain hunting by offering people who want to comparison shop the best price from the best seller at their fingertips," says Michelle Kane, marketing director of comparison-shopping site Price Grabber.

If you want to save time and money when looking for that back-to-school gear or latest must-have gadget, here's how you can score deals on the web:

1. Find online markdowns
Virtually every retailer these days has a web site with a sale or clearance section. From Talbots to L.L. Bean, J. Jill, or Gap, you can find clothes at a deep discount at your favorite store's web site. Or try the web sites Shoes and Zappos for marked down footwear. Outdoor enthusiasts may want to try the REI Outlet web site, where you can sort by brand, category, or price, to find goods at 30 percent or more off full price, or go to the Land's End web site's "overstocks" section for off-season merchandise.

But the ultimate bargain-hunters paradise might be Overstock, which boasts brand-name merchandise at 40 to 80 percent off. Overstock's name speaks for itself. The merchant buys over-produced products, cancelled store orders, and stock from companies that are downsizing or going out of business. Similar sites include: Smart Bargains, Amazing Bargains, Almost Shoplifting and Slick Deals, among others.

2. Comparison shop
Computer hardware and software, books, cameras, small electronics, jewelry and gifts are all especially easy to compare and shop for online, particularly if you have a certain brand and model in mind.

For electronics, the sheer number of vendors online -- everyone from Amazon and Buy to Best Buy and Circuit City -- has helped drive down prices. And sites like CNet let you easily comparison shop for tons of electronics after reading an editor's review.

For anyone frustrated by the $75 price tag at brick-and-mortar bookstores for the latest Harry Potter book on CD, a little online shopping finesse might mean you can find a price-cut. Plug in the book title and "CD" into the search field at comparison shopping sites like PriceGrabber, Shopping, or Bizrate to get prices from an assortment of retailers -- some at nearly a third off the in-store cover price.

Many online shopping sites do offer consumer reviews about things like whether shipping was prompt, returns were accepted, or the merchandise arrived in good condition. Or Epinions lets consumers post their reviews on just about anything you can buy online or offline.

3. Cash in coupons and rebates
Want to save a tiny bit more? Try finding coupons or rebates at Flamingo World, Coupon Craze, and Deal Hunting, which you can use when checking out at online shopping sites. Coupons range from free shipping on purchases of $50 or more from the Gap web site, to a $25 savings card for every $50 you spent at the Ann Taylor Loft.

Many online shopping sites also offer rebate programs that kick back a small percentage of what you spend into a college savings account, such as UPromise, or a point system that you can redeem for prizes, such as on ClubMom.

4. Avoid pitfalls
Even though online shopping offers some shortcuts, always read the fine print and do the math before clicking the Complete Order or Purchase Now button.

For example, some coupon codes come with a catch -- they're only for a minimum purchase, or the free shipping may not be available on clearance merchandise. And speaking of shipping, make sure to calculate the shipping to your zip code of the product you are purchasing. Heavy items, such as appliances or rugs, can come with hefty shipping costs, too, so it's best to buy those items locally.

Also, be aware that some price-comparison sites only list items from partner merchants, meaning that they might not scour the entire web for the lowest price.

And check out any site's return policy. Most online merchants let you return purchases by mail, but you might be stuck with shipping and handling. Some online stores accept returns at a brick-and-mortar partner. For example, Sears accepts Land's End returns.

Still, if you take care when shopping online, you can avoid long lines at the stores and instead excitedly wait for your packages to arrive on your doorstep.