Remember when bargain shopping meant bouncing from store to store comparing prices or watching mailers for coupons or sales. This method of shopping is time consuming and with today's gas prices not very cost effective. With the internet we have the ultimate bargain shopping tool at our fingertips. We can quickly find stores that carry the items we are looking for, make price comparisons, buy and then have it shipped to the door without leaving the comfort of our home.

Below Manufactures Cost

Billions of dollars in excess inventory is produced each year. Manufacturers are often left with surplus that must be removed from shelves to make room for newer models. They may be downsizing or moving facilities, maybe a change in strategy or circumstances led to canceled orders or companies may need to reduce inventories for accounting reasons. Manufacturers don't allow these products to appear in retail stores because it may discourage customers from buying newer more expensive models. Some internet stores have built a relationship with select leading manufacturers to purchase those extra products at deep discounts and pass the savings on to you. Often, the price you pay is far below the manufacturer's cost. Find stores that sell excess inventory and bookmark them. Shopping these online stores is the equivalent of shopping at a clearance sale everyday.

Refurbished

What are refurbished products?

The reason merchandise becomes refurbished may be for one of the following reasons:

• A customer returned the product for some reason, even if the product was unopened and in perfect condition, the manufacturer cannot resell the product at the regular price. Therefore, manufacturers choose to discount the product and label it refurbished.

• Products are refurbished because the product did not work or did not pass the first inspection. Rather than discard the product, manufacturers repair it like new and resell it.

• Damage to the outside of a box can get an item labeled refurbished

Name Brand?

Too often we are sold on a name, rather than the product itself. We feel more secure buying items from manufactures that have built a reputation, however many items we buy could easily be replaced with an off brand, with very little if any difference in quality. The biggest difference between name brand and off brand products is usually the price.

Secure?

If you are still unsure about using a credit card over the internet, rest easy. In fact, statistically speaking, it is safer to use your credit card over the Internet than in a restaurant or department store. Most internet stores offer a shopping cart with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an encryption technology that works with multiple browsers, so that only the company processing the credit card info can read a customers personal information. Pay-pal offers a great alternative for making payments over the internet.

Bargain shopping is easy and can be very rewarding thanks to the internet. Look for sites that offer closeouts and overstocks. Buy refurbished or off brands to save money. Try bargaining with smaller stores, for a better price. And above all, have fun. Lets go shopping now.

David Squire is an independent author, and proprietor of http://www.save-on-products.com