How to Shop Online Without Wasting Time

August 16th, 2010

The other day I was on the internet and… that’s it. Nothing else happened that day. Yet it was one of the most productive days in recent memory. All I was doing was shopping for stuff online. I found great products at great prices, while saving time and gas. I’ve been doing this since my dial-up days and have used my cheap fastidious nature to develop a few techniques.

I’m probably preaching to the choir here. And those resisting online shopping can’t be converted. So what I want to do today is to share my best practices for shopping online. The goals are to save time and money by making the best decisions about how to buy things.

To me, buying something is a big deal. I’m not programmed to make impulse buys. And I’m convinced that’s a good thing.

If I’m to void my coffers it better be for something good. I need to know what the best price is, factoring in shipping, taxes, import duties, and exchange rates. I need to know if there was a flaw in model #120, and if so, when will model #121 be available? I need to consider the opportunity cost of driving to the store to buy the item instead. And you can be damn sure I need to read the reviews.

With all that in mind, here is what I consider when making a purchase:

1. I want the best value — the most bang for the buck.
2. I want to feel educated on the product.
3. I want it to appeal to my hunches.
4. I want to feel like I’ve done my due diligence.
5. I want to discover better products than are available at the local big box store.

Yet, I do not want to waste a ton of time online. I’ve tried outsourcing my shopping, which didn’t work because it failed to educate me or give me a gut feeling of making a good choice. Nor could I trust someone else to care about how they spend my money as much as I do.

All this amounts to one thing: finding the best practices for shopping. Here’s the best I’ve come up with:

1. Get targeted advice on your purchase. – Don’t just peruse. Think of the need and go to the experts. For example, say you need a new camera. Don’t search Amazon reviews; go straight to a digital photography site. Or talk to a friend who’s into photography. Don’t bother window shopping; in such a diverse retail market you’ll get confused with all the options.
2. Consider all your shopping options. – With the internet you can get a good price from more than the usual suspects. Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist are good first stops but you can also widen your gaze. Other countries have different companies that mimic the Amazon, eBay, or Craigslist format. They often offer products that are not available domestically, or at prices that are much lower. It helps to know another language when searching for these types of sites, but there are ways around that. On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with buying from a local store if that’s the best option available.
3. Make a shortlist of possible purchases. – Taking the advice you received, and considering all your purchase options, narrow your buying options down. What’s important at this stage is calculating the bottom line: what will the item cost, all things considered.
4. Do a pro/con assessment. – This is where most people start their search, mentally making a list of things they like and dislike about a variety of products. I like to leave this for last, after all the math is done and the final prices are figured. At this point I skim the 5 star and 1 star reviews (with a skeptic’s eye of course), and let my gut make the decision.
5. Pick and buy!

These steps don’t all need to be taken consecutively. Sometimes it helps to wait on advice or think a purchase through.

There are times when this approach isn’t the best one. Sometimes you just need something right quick. Or some people have qualms about buying from abroad. But if you avoid online shopping because it’s more convenient to go into a store and pay retail, well, you either have a lot of money, or you’re not making the most of it.

Lucky.

For me though, this works. Hopefully it will for you too.