WHAT TO BUY ONLINE

THE INTERNET has completely changed the way we shop. But, online shopping has its downsides too. For one, you can’t physically examine, feel, or try on the product the way you can in a store. Once you click the ‘buy’ button, you have to wait for your product to be shipped to you, instead of being able to take it home right away. You also have to pay extra for shipping, which can cancel out the perks of getting a lower price.

So, which is better: hitting the mall, or hitting the Web? Basically, it depends on what you’re buying. There are some products it makes more sense to buy in a store – but for others, you’ll almost always get the best deals by shopping online.

WHAT TO BUY?

A true online bargain has to meet two criteria. First, it has to be something you can feel confident about buying without seeing it in person first. And second, it has to be cheaper than the same product would be if you bought it in a store, including the added cost of shipping. Here’s a shortlist of the products shopping experts say you should definitely buy online.

1. ELECTRONICS

Buying a new gadget, such as a TV or a smartphone, is a complicated process. There are lots of different factors to consider, including the product’s specs, the warranty, and how easily you can return it if you’re not happy with it. It’s hard to do all that while standing in a showroom under the eye of an eager sales clerk trying hard to get you to make your purchase right away.

Shopping online for electronics takes the pressure off. It lets you take your time to compare different products, read customer reviews, and make sure you’re getting the right one for you. You can also compare prices, warranties, return policies, and price match guarantees across a wide variety of stores to find the best deal. On top of all that, buying electronics online can be cheaper – a lot cheaper. Experts say the Web is the best place to find good prices for:

■ Laptops: When you buy a laptop computer, you have a lot of options to choose from, such as the processor, RAM, hard drive, and ports. Shopping online makes it easier to customise your laptop so you get exactly what you want without being ‘uphold’ – talked into buying a much bigger, pricier package than you really need. Plus, you can often find special incentives online that you can’t get at brick-and-mortar stores, such as a free gift card with purchase.

■ Small accessories: When you buy a new gadget, you often need a few accessories to go with it, such as a cable, a case, or a charger to use in your car. Little extras like these are much cheaper to buy online. According to a Forbes interview with consumer expert Andrea Woroch, buying these add-ons over the Web can save you as much as 60 per cent compared to picking them up at the store.

Shopping online is also the easiest way to buy refurbished electronics. You can find refurbished models in like-new condition at manufacturers’ websites, on retail sites, and in online marketplaces like eBay – all at bargain prices. For instance, according to Shelton, you can often buy refurbished laptops for less than half the price of new ones.

2. CLOTHING BASICS

Experts warn that no matter how good the price is, you shouldn’t buy all your clothing online. For some garments, such as men’s suits, the fit is crucial, and it’s almost impossible to get it right without being able to try it on. You also can’t feel the fabric or examine the seams to see whether you’re really getting high-quality clothing that will last.

However, for everyday pieces, such as jeans, shirts, and casual pants, an exact fit isn’t as essential. Once you know what size you wear in a particular brand, you can be pretty confident that size will always fit you, barring any large fluctuations in your weight. And, if it’s a brand you know and trust, you can feel pretty confident about its quality as well.

For basics like these, shopping online can save you both money and time. When a store has a really great sale on a popular line of clothing, the most popular sizes and styles quickly sell out. Shopping online gives you a better chance of finding what you want at the right price. It’s also much easier to sort through the offerings on a website than to hunt through picked-over racks in a crowded store.

Some shopping mavens say it’s also best to shop online for designer clothes and accessories. For instance, Michelle Madhok, an online shopping expert, says in Prevention that designer consignment sites are a great place to score such finds as Prada handbags and Gucci shoes at up to 70 per cent off the retail price. You can sometimes find similar bargains at thrift stores and consignment stores, but it’s easier to get the exact piece you want with an online search. However, other experts warn that you need to watch out for knock-offs and counterfeits.

Additionally, a lot of Web stores that deal in designer knock-offs aren’t secure sites. At best, you’ll probably have trouble contacting the site if there’s a problem, and at worst, you risk having your credit card information stolen. So, if you want to buy designer goods online, make sure to shop at sites where the wares are authenticated, such as TheRealReal.

FINAL WORD

Whenever you shop online, it’s important to make sure you’re buying from a site you can trust. Every so often, you come across what looks like an unbeatable deal – but the site that’s selling it raises a bunch of red flags. If the site’s design is outdated, there’s a chaotic array of different fonts, or the item descriptions are in such bad English that you can barely make them out, you’re likely to be dealing with a bogus site that will take your money and give you nothing in return – or worse, steal your credit card information.

Another big warning sign is poor security on the site. It’s only safe to enter your credit card or contact info on a secure site, one with a URL that starts with ‘https’. If the site where you’re shopping has an address that starts with a plain ‘http,’ it won’t protect your personal information from thieves.

Even if everything else about a site looks legit, it’s a good idea to check one last thing before you click the ‘buy’ button: the site’s contact information. You’ll need that to ask for a refund if you’re not satisfied with the product – or if it never arrives at all. If the site doesn’t provide any contact info, take that as a warning sign, and try a different site.