Translate

Friday, July 19, 2013

Saving On The Old Information Super Highway.

Beyond brick and mortar establishments, there are a number of online webites that are great for deals. The one I use all the time is Amazon. I love getting on here and finding a used movie, video game or book for a fraction of the price. I have not had many problems with getting a good quality item, however I do follow some general rules to ensure that I like what I'm getting.



  1. View the description.

A seller should tell you the condition of the item. Does the cover art and guide come with the video game? Is the book worn around the edges? Amazon also has a grading system that allows the seller to decide what kind of used condition the item is in. Used- Very good and Used- Good are usually safe bets. Remember, that there is no rubric for this grading system. It is the seller's opinion.

2. Free Shipping

View the shipping price before you buy an item. If you can wait, or have other items you are buying on Amazon, it is often easy to get to that magic $25.00 amount and get free shipping. Some used items may cost the same or more with shipping. If a used items is three or four dollars below the new price, it really isn't worth it to buy it used yet, because even standard shipping will eat away your money saved. Again, if you are only buying the one item, it may be worth it. Just remember to consider shipping in your final costs. Amazon now offers used items with free shipping, so take advantage of those when you can as well.


3. Age of item

The longer you wait, the cheaper most items get. In other words, if you can wait for the latest video game for a few months, the used price will drop. This is generally not true of limited time offers or extremely popular items. Consider getting the older version if you can or buying the 1st day an item comes out or within the 1st week. Blu-rays and DVDs will usually be a few dollars cheaper the day they come out and then won't see a price decrease for a while.


4. The Instant Streaming correlation

If Netflix or Amazon Video is streaming a movie or tv series, be prepared for the price of that item to drop. This is an opportunity for you to buy the item if you would like to own a physical copy. Netflix, as well as other streaming sites, usually do not leave material available indefinitely and rarely include bonus materials found on discs. Consider this when purchasing as well.


There are a lot of other websites out there, but Amazon, seems to be the trading post, super mall, bazaar of them all. I'm always looking for more places to get the best price, so any suggestions are always welcome. What web-shops do you like to frequent?

No comments: