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Buy.com |
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Best Buy |
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Sprint PCS |
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Outpost.com |
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Radio Shack |
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| SITE: |
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buy.com |
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bestbuy.com |
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sprintpcs.com |
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outpost.com |
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radioshack.com |
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| PRODUCTS: |
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Electronics and software retailer |
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Online link to the popular retailer |
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Wireless phone and service retailer |
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Electronics, computer and camera retailer |
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Electronics retailer linked to national store chain |
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| BEST FOR: |
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| PLUS: |
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Free shipping for most electronics. If another site offers a lower price, will refund difference if alerted within 24 hours of ordering. |
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Selections can be shipped or picked up-at no cost-at local Best Buy retail stores; extensive product details and a smooth design. |
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Site has extensive information about Sprint PCS network, service packages, accessories; comparison charts and a nifty "plan advisor" outline options. |
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Free overnight delivery if ordered by midnight (in most locations); liberal return policy includes pickup at home or office for $10. Easy-to-navigate site. |
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Offers Internet specials not available in retail stores, sometimes at huge discounts; has product manuals for many catalogue items. |
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| MINUS: |
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Lacks pizzazz; no enlarged photos of products; individual item pages rarely informative. |
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Little here that isn't in that Best Buy store around the corner. |
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Unsurprisingly enough, no info about competing products and services. |
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Flashing ads are distracting and can cause slower loading. Poor selection of consumer electronics. |
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Clunky and plain, the site presentation lags behind its competitors. |
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| ORDER BY: |
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Dec. 10 for standard shipping. |
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Dec. 10. |
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Two to three weeks before Christmas. |
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Dec. 23. |
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Dec. 10. |
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| BOTTOM LINE: |
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All-around excellent site-a favorite for bargain-hunters and browsers; loads of products and recommendations; recently expanded into wireless cellular sales. |
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At-home guide to the retailer's brick-and-mortar backbone. Crisp and clean, with multiple photos of each item and loads of description. Selection limited to Best Buy's inventory, and prices nearly identical. |
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This is the most comprehensive way of getting Sprint PCS, short of going to a local store. Site offers some huge discounts and incentive offers; you can buy a phone and accessories within seconds. |
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Free overnight delivery very appealing; has charts showing how visitors can save up to $100 per order, with much faster delivery than with other sites. For electronics, limited selection of higher-end lines. |
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Little glitz; presents its product catalogue as lists and links. Some items on the site are not available for online shopping, but there are some steals not available in stores. Fun "Cool Things" catalogue. |
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| SUMMARY: |
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If crowded stores, harried salespeople and aisles of floor models don't seem appealing, the hunt for electronics might best turn to the Internet, where bargains abound and shopping couldn't be easier. BestBuy.com, for instance, provides multiple photos of each item and a detailed description and even allows merchandise to be picked up at the local retailer to avoid shipping costs. In any case, such sites provide good background for that trip to the mall, if you must.
Outpost.com combines Internet shopping with several outside retailers, notably Tweeter for its electronics. Its free overnight delivery is tempting, but remember, with store- or brand-specific sites, selection is limited and comparison tough.
For those who don't mind leaving the house, comparison shopping at top Internet-based stores of retailers can prove to be less costly, more convenient and a better experience. For bargain-hunters, top-rated Buy.com covers an enormous range of products and has frequent deals for new customers, sometimes offering free shipping or discounts on entire orders.
Just don't get lost: Web sites such as Buy.com or Amazon.com's electronics store tend to be overwhelming, as that trip to buy a DVD changer turns into a parade of digital cameras and video games. Taking advantage of gift-suggestion lists or of top-sellers can erase endless surfing.
Check out the myriad auction and group-sale sites, such as www.ubid.com, www.egghead.com and www.mercata.com, where deals on new or refurbished audio and video components regularly beat retail prices. And before making that next big electronics purchase, look at www.bargainflix.com, where coupons for major e-tailers are posted daily and can save you a bundle.
-Josh White
Other Category Comparison Charts:
Dep't Stores |
Beauty |
Books |
Clothing |
Computers |
Electronics |
Food |
Movies |
Music |
Toys
Online Holiday Shopping Stories:
Return to the Lead story, or read about:
Decking the Halls With a Mouse;
Avoiding Pitfalls;
Shopbots;
Foreign Purchases;
Online Greetings;
Customizing Gifts;
Comparison Shopping
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