Shopping Online- How to Know Where to Shop

When shopping online, there are so many retailers out there now that it may be difficult to know how to find the right one for you and what you are looking for.  There are so many different ways to shop now, resellers, wholesalers, retailers, etc, that it can be very confusing.  Use this guide to help you find your way through the internet maze of online retailers!

One of the best things to look for first when getting to a stores homepage is to look at the page’s method for shopping and picking out items.  Do they use a cart?  Does it seem easy to use, or have you used the method before?  If it looks like you’ll have a hard time buying only the things that you want to buy, go somewhere else.  You don’t want to end up purchasing items that you don’t want. 

One site did a study on 100 of the top online retail stores.  They based their conclusions on the page’s “About Us” page, and whether or not they followed through with the site’s promises, ease of use for the customer, customer involvement, (such as a place to give your feedback), and overall customer experience.   Here were the top 10 best choices:

1. Amazon.com
2. llbean.com
3. homedepot.com
4. sears.com
5. ebags.com
6. art.com
7. crateandbarrel.com
8. barnesandnoble.com
9. overstock.com
10. rei.com

The ten worst were:

1. pcmall.com
2. buy.com
3. qvc.com
4. Costco.com
5. simondelivers.com
6. sportsmanguide.com
7. sharperimage.com
8. quixtar.com
9. store.alloy.com
10. jcpenny.com

Another good way to consider an online retailer is to look at your actual in-store shopping experience, such as Sears.  If you have an easy time shopping in the store and have no problems with returns and such, then chances are you’ll have a fairly easy time shopping on their website.  Another thing you can do is talk to your friends.  See where they shop if they shop online, and ask them about their good and bad experiences at the stores they mention.  People you know are your best resources because you trust them. 

You can also look on the site for customer feedback.  If they have the option available, and they have positive comments, then they probably are pretty confident in their shopping experience.  This is another good indicator for good or bad possibilities when looking for an online retailer.  The main thing though, is to trust your instincts.  If it doesn’t feel right to you for some reason, then go somewhere else.  There are plenty of options available to you.