Consumer Buying Tips

There are a few consumer buying tips you should never forget. Find out how to make informed decisions about the products you hope to buy and where to find the best deals on them.

Read reviews! You won't have to learn the hard way what the downfalls of a product are. You may find that customer service is shabby. In reviews, you may find alternative products to check out instead if it sounds like the original one isn't going to work for you. There are reviews for almost everything out there. Here are a few sites where you can check reviews:

• Amazon has reviews for just about anything you could possibly want. Simply search for your item and read what other customers have had to say. This covers books, music, movies, electronics, housewares, and more.
• Makeup Alley, as you can gather by the name, features reviews on makeup products. There are also reviews for skin care items and more. You'll need an account to read them, but it's free.
• Zappos gives you customer reviews on shoes and clothing. And who knows, with the free shipping they offer and their participation on Ebates, you may find a better deal.
• Overstock may or may not have the particular item you are considering, but if they do, chances are you can find reviews done by those who have purchased it in the past. This site tends to have great deals, too.
• Barnes and Noble can show you what other readers thought of the books you're considering, plus make recommendations for others that may hold your interest. It doesn't just stop at books, however. Find out more about DVDs, music, and more.
• Google is simple. Just type in the product you're searching for followed by "reviews" and you'll probably find more about it than you could ever read in a day!
• Cnet lets you scour the database for reviews on all types of electronics.
• Consumer Search is another site that lets you see how others reviewed just about everything you could want to buy. Products are ranked based on "Best Overall," "Best for…" and so on. You'll see summaries of reviews on other sites, all condensed to make your choice easier.
• MSN's Auto Review and Comparison does just that—it lets you read what other consumers and experts thought of specific vehicles and then compare them to other models on the market.

Even if you find a better deal elsewhere, you can still get informative reviews.

When you see a "great deal" on a product that comes in several sizes, don’t jump to conclusions. Break down the cost per ounce, for example, to find out if the "sale" really does give you the better value. If you're not a math whiz, simply keep a small calculator handy. Similarly, if you don't think you'll need the jumbo-size product that costs more and is a better value, though it costs more overall, go ahead and buy the smaller one for less. There's no need to take more than you need, pay more overall, then throw the rest out. For example, if you're single and rarely have company, resist the urge to buy all of your food in bulk. It is likely to go bad before you get a chance to eat it all.

You may be in the habit of saving paper coupons as they come to you on the backs of receipts or in your Sunday paper, but some people overlook the money-saving opportunities online. Before making a purchase, do a quick search for coupons. You may find free shipping codes, percentages off, freebies, and more.

• Ebates, mentioned above, gives you a percentage off of your purchases at select retailers. You have to sign up for an account, but it's free. Every three months, you'll get money back on the purchases you've made through the site.
• Retail Me Not allows you to enter your store of choice to find relevant coupons. In many cases, the listings will also show success rates for coupons, so if one hasn't worked for several users, you'll know it may not be worth your while to try and then move on to the next one.
• KeyCode is another place to check out when you're looking for the hottest deals, coupons that are about to expire, and more.
• Coupons.com isn't just limited to online deals. You can enter your zip code and find the best deals near you to avoid the wait time and potential cost involved with shipping.

When it comes to consumer buying tips, the overall idea is to do your research. Impulse buys may be exhilarating, but if you're going to be spending a significant sum of money, it's worth it to see what others had to say, determine whether a "deal" really is one, and search for coupons.

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