Shop Online Guide

By now, you may have heard about ebay. It's the largest and most popular online shopping community. But, it doesn't come without risk. Here are some tips on purchasing anything and everything you need online while saving money on tax and shipping.
eBay

I like ebay. I liked ebay at the very beginning. But, there are many things that I wouldn't buy from ebay. Ebay has it's strengths and weaknesses.

What to avoid:
- Avoid all sellers from China, Hong Kong, etc. (USA, Canada, and England are the only places I would buy from)
- Avoid buying the latest high-end electronics.
- Avoid buying anything at a price too good to be true.
- Avoid buying expensive items that you have never purchased before and thus don't have anything to compare to (i.e. Rolex watches, designer clothing, etc.)
- Avoid new sellers

What I would buy:
- Cheap and hard to find accessories (i.e. a blue face plate for your phone)
- Cheap clothing and accessories
- Cheap and used electronic equipment (i.e. a 5-year-old digital SLR worth less than $50)
Amazon

Amazon.com is a very reputable internet merchant. I would compare them to Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. but with no brick and mortar stores. Amazon.com does not charge tax (at least not for me in Illinois). Plus, all items bought from them can be shipped for free if the total order is over $25. This does not include items purchased from other merchants.
Electronics

When shopping around for electronic equipment, I compare prices from:

- Newegg.com
- Buy.com
- Amazon.com
- Adorama.com (For Cameras)
- AbesofMaine.com

For the best deals, I browse the forums at fatwallet.com or slickdeals.net. Those are communities of individuals finding and posting the best deals possible on items.
Check Ratings!

If you feel like you want to risk purchasing something from another merchant, check the merchant's ratings. http://www.resellerratings.com is a website that has almost every online merchant and user reviews. Always check with them before buying anything from a merchant you are not familiar with.

I hope you find this information useful. Shop online with confidence from these trusted merchants.