TechnoloChic: Buying electronics online? Newegg.com is where it’s at

In the market for a new camera, computer or phone? Electronics are one of the hardest things to pick out yet the one of the easiest to get a good deal on. Between all the options, stores and online comparisons, shopping for electronics is confusing but if you put your mind to it you can really come across some good buys.

Most modern electronics have so many features, brands and options to choose that getting a clear comparison of products is often difficult. Though stores like Best Buy or Target have digital cameras, chances are that they will not have your preferred brand or even the best price. Those stores are for the impulse buys or parents/grandparents who do not buy things off the Internet.

In most cases when shopping for an electronic device a better deal can be found on the internet. If you do not feel comfortable putting your credit card into the void that is the interwebs then at least do your research online and order through a trusted store.

Newegg.com is one of the best websites to search and compare electronics. It has a wide variety of external hard drives, laptops, cables, replacement batteries, accessories and flash drives. Newegg gives a clear layout of the specs on each item, along with photos and user reviews about the product. Newegg also helps you to search for products by allowing you to narrowing down your choices. When searching for a laptop on the left side of the screen the site will list the different brands, hard drive sizes, prices and CPU types. Newegg also shows the overall rating of the product right on the shopping page so you can see how the items stack up. There are also a lot of deals available and special sales.

When you are at the final stage of your purchase, right before you seal the deal, Google for a coupon for that Web site if there is a spot for one. This can often save you between $5 and $20, depending on the coupon or deal available.

If you see something at the store that you are really interested in, like, for instance, the new Nikon Coolpix, then head home and plug that into Google. Instantly it shows you the shopping results with ratings and options from different stores. Steer away from the yellow highlighted “Sponsored Links” and the links on the left bar because these are all paid advertising and will most likely not give you the best deal.

You can also use Google to quickly find out how awful that cheap computer is on Craigslist.org. Be careful of some deals and make sure that when you plug the brand and model number you wish to purchase into Google, a Web site that says “I hate my life because of this computer” does not pop up.

You can also look for great prices on electronics on eBay. When you go to eBay you need to know exactly what you are looking for. Do all your research to figure out the brand, model number and pricing range then go to eBay to search for it. Be sure to e-mail the seller if you have any questions about the item and if you are unsure about the legitimacy of the item check the seller’s rating.

Also, don’t buy impulsively (but if you do, make sure there is a return policy).