10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Chuck Eglinton - ChuckEgg.com• Powerpoint slides 2010 Mensa AG.

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10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Chuck Eglinton - ChuckEgg.com• Mensa Member• Self-employed PC programmer since 1983• Self-employed web developer since 1997• Specialize in “Dynamic” websites (database

driven).• eBay Power Seller since 1998• eBay Trained “Education Specialist”• Ebay Certified “Trading Assistant”• “10 Quick Steps” available at Audible.com• BidRobot.com has been mentioned in “eBay

for Dummies,” “Internet Auctions for Dummies” and in Readers Digest.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Want it now!• Internet Search• Deal websites

I can wait.• Mailing lists, topical forums.• Deal websites

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Why is it cheaper on the Internet?

Lower Costs• No rent or lower rent• No employees or lower labor rates

Gray Market• Not intended for sale in U.S. (cameras,

electronics)

Refurbished / Brown Box• Sometimes really refurbished,• But, sometimes just excess inventory

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Electronics Deals

• 72” TV shipped from GA. to Michigan• Half Off, New in Box• Excess Inventory• $2000 less than price in local stores

• 50” Flatscreen TV• 30% Off, New in Box• Source: Amazon limited promotion

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Fitness Equipment Deal

• Nordic Track Elliptical Trainer• Savings: $400 less than price in local

stores (40% off)• Condition: New in Box• Reason: Marketing• Found by: Google Search

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals

Travel Deals• $18 round trip Airfare, Detroit to

Orlando.• Reason: Marketing promotion• Found by: e-mail promotion

• Free Round Trip Airfare from Michigan to Hawaii

• Savings: $1000 • Reason: Marketing promotion• Found by: Travel Forum• How: Purchase $30 “Top-flight” golf balls

with 2-for-1 travel coupon.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Know what you’re looking for.

• Various names for the item• Various keywords for the item• Various model numbers• Possible foreign names• Misspellings

My favorite research resource…

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Learn Basic Search Engine Tricks

(part 1)

Asterisk (*) for a wildcard searchExample: 196* Mustang displays all 1960’s Mustangs

Quotation Marks to display an exact phrase with words in the exact order shown.Example: “Nightmare Before Christmas" will display only auction titles that contain that exact movie title

Commas and Parenthesis to display auctions that contain any of the search words Example: “(ibanez, takamine)” will display a list of auction titles that contain any of those words. Use a comma to delimit search syntax if you’re looking for several similar items or several different brands in a single search.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Learn Basic Search Engine Tricks

(part 2)

Minus Sign (-) to remove specific words from search results.Example: “mustang wheels –hot” will show results containing ‘real’ mustang automobile wheels exclude any of the auction titles that also have the word “hot.”

Plus Sign (+) to prevent some search engines from including synonyms for the word in search results.

Search with and without hyphens, punctuation and special characters - For example search for both “t shirt” and “t-shirt”

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Check Reviews and Recommendations

at Amazon.com

1. Type Keywords, model, Item Description2. Click “Go” button

• Read customer reviews for possible leads on deals and similar items.

• Scroll down for “What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item? “

• Make a list of comparable item brands, models and model numbers.

• Note the new & used prices at Amazon

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Go hunting for deals…

at Shopping.Google

Go to: http://shopping.Google.com

1. Type Keywords, model, Item Description2. Click “Search” button3. Use the options in the left column to filter your

search.4. Use the drop down and select “Sort by: Price - Low

to High”

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Go hunting for deals…

at eBay

1. You’ll need a (free) eBay account2. Click “Advanced Search” link3. Type Keywords, Model, Item Description4. Check “[X] completed listings”5. Click the [Search] button6. Refine Search using links in the left column7. Only GREEN prices had winning bidders,

disregard other colors.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Go hunting for deals at eBay (cont.)

Auctions that end on Holidays - Fewer bidders to compete against.

Auctions closing on non-peak days and non-peak times - Fewer bidders to compete against.

Poor item descriptions - Some bidders ignore poorly worded titles and descriptions.

Miscategorized Items - will be found by fewer bidders.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Buyer Beware

• Read the item description carefully

• Be aware of the condition of the item

• Be aware of guarantees and return policies

• Be aware of the item location and be aware of excess shipping and handling charges

• Be aware of sales tax

• Ask the seller questions

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Know your Seller

• Be aware of the seller’s REPUTATION. (at eBay, click the number in parenthesis near sellers eBay id)

• Do NOT be afraid of foreign sellers if they have a good reputation.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Pay with a credit card to protect your

purchase.

• Always pay with a credit card so that you have leverage if a deal goes bad.

• Credit card companies nearly always reverse charges to a buyer in a dispute.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Tracking your order

• sometimes you can track and sometimes you can't. For example, items from overseas typically can't be tracked. but larger items shipped domestically can be tracked by UPS and FedEx

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals What if your deal goes bad?

• Contact the seller for a resolution• Contact your credit card company about

reversing the charges.

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Deal Resources:Deal Websites - (buy it now)

• Woot.com• BensBargains.net• Slickdeals.net• Fatwallet.net (great discussions)

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Deal Resources:Travel Bargains (buy now and when offered)

• Not all sites show all deals at all airlines• After finding low prices, also visit the airline

website.• Sign up for mailing lists for last minute bargains

from airlines and travel agencies.• You’ll find the best deals if your travel dates are

flexible

• Travelzoo.com (cruises, vacations)• Sidestep.com• Fly.com• Orbitz.com, Hotwire.com, Expedia.com

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Deal Resources:Seller Mailing Lists

• The “Can-Spam” law protects you from spam.• Can-Spam requires an easy “unsubscribe” link

at the bottom of e-mails• Use a disposable e-mail address (gmail.com)• Consider eBay’s “Save This Search” feature for

automatic e-mail updates.• Consider joining mailing lists from any store you

buy from on a regular basis.

Geeks.comOverstock.comAmazon.comBuy.com

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals Know what you’re looking for Learn Basic Search Engine Tricks Check reviews and recommendations Go hunting for deals Buyer Beware Know your seller Pay with a credit card to protect your

purchase Tracking your order What if your deal goes bad? Deal Sites, Forums, and Mailing Lists

10 Easy Steps to Finding Deals• BidRobot.com - Don’t lose eBay auctions!• AuctionZipCode.com - Display eBay search

results on a map• AuctionIncome.com - Auction Blog• RSSauction.com - eBay search results

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