Comparison Shopping

But since I already know what I'm looking for, I can just type my search term into the box. First I looked for the Casio Exilim EX-Z750. The site turned up 28 results, with prices running from $346 to $450, which is comparable to what I found onPC World's Product Finder. Unfortunately, MSN does not provide bottom-line pricing, so you're not really getting the full scoop.

Next I plugged in the DirecTV HD DVR. I had to wade through a list of related but incorrect products, but I finally found what I wanted. MSN turned up 13 stores in all, with prices ranging from $485 to $999. The results are also similar to what I found onPC World's Product Finder, which brought up ten stores with prices from $480 to $899 .

Between itsConsumer Reportsofferings and the ability to compare product specs, MSN Shopping is definitely a good place to visit when you're browsing, or you're not sure what you're looking for.

Originally started in Europe in 1999, PriceRunner launched its U.S. site in April of this year. There are now versions for Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, the U.S., and Sweden--just in case you want to check how much your object of desire costs in pounds or kroner.

At first glance, the mostly text-based PriceRunner site looks easy to navigate. And instead of lumping all electronics goods into one uber-category, it actually provides separate categories for Cameras and Camcorders, Video Games and Consoles, and Home Entertainment. And for all you near- and far-sighted individuals, it even has a Contact Lenses category.

If you go to a subcategory, say DVD Players (under Home Entertainment), you see a list that's broken down by criteria such as brand, price, newest, most popular, and type of DVD player (portable versus recordable versus ones with VCRs). Pick one, and you get a list of products that you can narrow down even further by price or features. To be honest, I like this straightforward, no-frills approach to online shopping. I don't need pretty pictures, a list of "featured products," or suggestions on what to buy.

Still, the most important feature of a comparison shopping site is price. I first looked up my sister's Exilim EX-Z750. One nice feature on PriceRunner is the fact that it links you to several professional reviews of the product. So if I'm unsure about the quality of the Exilim, I can immediately browse five different expert reviews of the product.

As for selection, PriceRunner brought up 42 different stores with prices ranging from $327 to $450. It also provides a box for entering a zip code, so I can see which store will give me the lowest price once tax and shipping are factored in. It turned out the store selling the EX-Z750 for $327 still had the best deal--very impressive.

I also managed to find the DirecTV DVR, although it took a little finagling with search terminology. The site didn't return any results for DirecTV HD DVR, DirecTV DVR, or DirecTV TiVo. I had to enter the actual product name, Hughes HR10-250, in order to find it. Once I did, though, PriceRunner listed seven results ranging in price from $478 to $999--again, the lowest range I found.

I decided to try out one last service: Cairo , which is a little different from other shopping sites. Instead of perusing the Internet to find you the best Web prices, Cairo hunts down sales in your local area and tells you where you can find the product you want for cheap. If nothing else, that's a good way for me to find out just how much my local stores are ripping me off.

First, the Casio camera: In the Seattle area, Cairo turned up one measly sale on the EX-Z750: $450 to buy it from my local Ritz Camera shop, which isn't much of a bargain. That was the highest price I found online, and about a hundred bucks more than the lowest prices.

As for the DirecTV HD TiVo, several results popped up, but nothing that was spot-on. I got one hit for a non-HD DVR, and a few ambiguous listings from Best Buy and Circuit City--but none for the product I was looking for. Based on my admittedly limited tests, either Cairo, or this whole shopping-at-my-local-stores thing, is kind of a bust.

But really, this bargain shopping stuff is actually fun. Maybe my mom--queen of the coupon--has rubbed off on me more than I thought.