Use the power of Google or your other favorite search engine such as Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Yahoo! to research and learn about the product you are shopping for.

• See how others have reviewed and rated the product. How many stars or thumbs-up has the product earned?
• Read the posted reviews made by shoppers who have purchased the product. Approach the reviews with a grain of salt, and question them. Know that ANYONE (Both those in the know and those who don’t know and are clueless.) can post a product review.
• Does a reviewer seem honest and trustworthy, or does he/she seem to only have an ax to grind?
• Look at a selection of the reviews from high ratings to medium ratings to low ratings to get the big picture. Be wary of reviews that seem too high or too low.
• Look for trends in the reviews. Careful study of the product’s reviews will help you make your wise purchase decision. What are some common remarks about the product?

Look For The Best Price and Quality Deal

Your goal is to compare product prices among various websites/retailers to see where you can save money on the product. Consider the quality of the product.

• Perhaps look at Walmart/eBay/Amazon online and then check-out the websites of stores near you. Go to these brick-and-mortar stores and make notes on what prices they ask. Are there any sales in progress?
• If buying online, then be sure to consider the shipping and handling charges.
• Taxes are a consideration in the final cost of a product or service. Uncle Sam always want to reach into your wallet to get his cut of the transaction.
• If you are looking for a widget, a widget that is made by different companies, then all those widgets might not be equal in quality. Find the widget that has the best quality for the price you are willing to pay. Many companies make computers, but which company makes the PC with the best quality?
• Are there coupons or discounts for the product that can be found online? Wherever you find a useful coupon, use it!

Look For Deals

Keep your eyes peeled for any chance to save money and to protect yourself after you purchase the product.

• Signing up for newsletters might save you some money. Often there are special offers or discounts to be found in a merchant’s email newsletter. If the newsletter does not help and you grow tired of seeing it in your Inbox, then there will be a link in the newsletter you can use to easily Unsubscribe.
• A cashback/rebate website can be a good way to save money when buying a product. These websites offer rewards to their members by paying them a percentage of cash back on what they purchase.
• I suggest you research cashback/rebate websites to see how they might help you save money. Find one that works best for you. Maybe there are several. Here are some cashback/rebate websites:
• Capital One Shopping.
• Upside. Can be good for gas, groceries and restaurants.
• Dosh. Has hotel deals
• Ibotta. Features many retailers.
• Wikibuy
• Top Cashback
• MyPoints
• Rakuten
• BeFrugal
• Perform a search on your favorite search engine to discover more websites like these.

Seasonal or Holiday Shopping – Chances to Save Money

Plan your purchase during shopping seasons or holidays – times when retailers, stores, and shops both online or brick and mortar often advertise deals These shopping seasons and holidays can include:

• Thanksgiving – The days leading up to Thanksgiving.
• Black Friday – The day after Thanksgiving.
• Small Business Saturday – The Saturday after Thanksgiving.
• Cyber Monday – The Monday after Black Friday.
• Green Monday – The second Monday of December or the last Monday of December with at least 10 days to Christmas.
• Blue Monday – The third Monday in January.
• Valentine’s Day – Guys, you better not forget this one!
• Graduation Day
• Back to School
• Veterans Day
• Memorial Day
• Columbus Day
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Fourth of July
• Easter
• Christmas
• Weekend Deals
• Sales Relating to the Store, like a Founder’s Day Sale
• Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Sales

Take Into Account After Purchase Considerations.

Always consider the retailer’s return policy for the product. You want the return policy to be generously in your favor.

• Does the merchant stand behind the service or product?<>
• How long after the purchase can you return the product?
• Who pays the shipping to send the item back if it was bought online?
• Are there no questions asked about the return or does the return have to meet certain retailer requirements before the return is accepted?
• Do you get your money back or do you have to accept an exchange? How long will either of these take?
• Is the customer always right?
• How does the company require that the returned product be shipped back?
• Do you have to use the original packaging?
• What paperwork must be included with the return?
• Does the merchant charge you a fee to make a return?

Buy Using a Credit Card

When you buy your product be sure to use a credit card for the purchase. This can offer you protection because credit cards often have fraud protection and other benefits.
For example:

From the Visa Credit Card Website:

“Zero Liability Policy
Use your Visa card to shop anywhere–whether it’s on the Internet or in a store–and you are protected from unauthorized use of your VISA card. The Visa Zero Liability policy eliminates consumer liability for fraudulent transactions.”

Your BrowseBeforeBuying.com blogger can attest to Visa’s fraud protection. I was scammed while trying to buy a notebook computer online. I used my Visa card to pay for it, but the computer never arrived. I contacted Visa and my money was refunded. I was disappointed that I did not get the computer, but I was very happy to get my money back due to Visa’s fraud protection.

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