Online Shopping Tips

The internet is a wonderful way to explore the world today. From the relative comfort of your home, you can get information on every conceivable topic in existence. The internet makes connections possible that one could not even have dreamed of just a few years back.
In addition to information gathering, online shopping is one of the most promising functions of the internet today. Online toy shopping in particular is very popular. It is now possible to compare prices on various toys, do research on new toys to hit the market, obtain toy safety information, get the best deals, and have your purchase delivered right to your doorstep, all with a few clicks of the mouse. In order to exploit the full shopping potential of the internet, it is necessary to take some precautionary measures and follow a few pointers and online shopping tips as listed below for a smooth online shopping experience.

1. The power of search: Search the internet for the best toys. Use the net as a tool to make the right toy choice. For example, if you are shopping for toys for babies, you can use a search engine like Yahoo or Google to search for the phrase “best baby toys”. Look through the results obtained which will point you in the right direction. Vary the search phrase for example, instead of typing “best baby toys” you could try “popular baby toys” for a whole new set of results.

2. Safe and Sound: Do your homework on the toy you have chosen. You can find safety information on the toy you want to get different sites like www.toysafety.net or www.cspc.gov which is the Consumer Safety Site to find out if your toy is included in the hazardous toy lists published there.

3. Visit well known toy sites: Sites like Toys R US or KBToys, EToys, or Amazon.com are very popular choices for online shopping. Don’t forget the friendly neighborhood Walmart and Target online stores where you are more likely to get better deals. These sites also have lots of toy best seller lists to aid you in making the right decision.

4. Compare prices: Search for the same toy on various different sites to find where you can get the lowest price. You’d be amazed as to how the same toy can sell for such a big price difference. Some of the smaller toy sellers also keep a lower profit margin, so their prices are lower. Walmart and Kmart are also great sites to find bargain deals. Keep in mind the shipping costs of different sites may differ, so take into account the shipping charges when you are comparing the prices.

5. Validate site: Once you have found a website with lowest price in the toy you want to purchase, a good idea would be to call the telephone number listed on the site to find out whether they have the item in stock at that time. Sometimes websites do not update their day to day inventory, some pages on their site may be redundant and if by chance the toy is not available at that time, it would lead to a waste of your time and energy.

6. Multiple Shipping Discount: Some sites offer a shipping discount in case you purchase multiple items. Once again, you can call the contact number and find out from the customer service of that website if they offer any such discount. 7. Avoid Taxes: According to the law, you can only be charged sales tax if the seller or the chain of stores is located in the same State as you. It would help if you can find a seller located in a different state to avoid these extra charges.

8. Lowest shipping charges: While shopping online, you do have to pay shipping charges on most sites which are calculated after you checkout. It would be prudent to check the shipping charges before you enter your credit card number on the seller’s website. Some sites have lower shipping charges than others. Another factor which influences shipping charges is distance. Some sellers offer flat shipping fees no matter where you are located. But some of them may offer distance based shipping. For example if you are located on the east coast and the seller is on the west coast, you may incur higher shipping charges.

9. Discount Coupons: Keep an eye open for discount coupons either listed on the seller’s website itself, or elsewhere on the internet. Most coupons are highlighted on the seller’s homepage. In case you are looking for third party coupons for the seller, you can do a search online for coupons. Also, you can call the seller and ask customer service if they offer any discounts.

10. Buy on Ebay: Online auction websites are gaining in popularity. Ebay is one such online marketplace which is a great way to get the lowest prices on almost anything under the sun. There are a lot of toy sellers on Ebay who are well reputed. Check the feedback of the seller you are interested in for an added safety measure to avoid any fraudulent sellers. In many cases, if the toy you are interested in is not available locally, you will find it on Ebay.