Shopping for tech gadgets online [update]

If you aren't a stranger to online shopping, the ongoing Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales would

have already tempted you into doing some (Internet browser) window shopping. Shopping online

can be a relaxing experience, allowing shoppers to skip the crowds and long queues at the cashier

during this end-of-the-year holiday season.

However, shopping for electronics online isn't always a straightforward affair--there can be hefty

shipping costs, international taxes and unfavorable currency conversion rates that can all add up.

Well, that's what this updated guide is for. We've even added a new segment on cashing in on those

fleeting Black Friday online deals.

Spotting the deals

Before you can actually make a purchase, you'll need to find the best online retailer to shop at. If

you've ever searched a product name and model number on Google, you might have noticed that

price recommendations occasionally appear--usually giving quotes from various merchants. This is a

good place to start but shouldn't be your only tool to snag a bargain.

While Amazon.com would be the first online store to come to mind, there are other retailers as well

such as Newegg (computers, PC accessories and other electronics), B&H (mainly camera related

gear) and DealExtreme (affordable computer accessories), too.

If you're not sure which place has the best price, Amazon.com does offer deals from other retailers

so you should click on those if you aren't satisfied with Amazon's price--do note that smaller retailers

may charge extra for shipping and could be less reliable. Additionally, you can also browse sites that

compile the better online offers such as dealnews and GottaDeal.com, just to name a couple.

For those of us that don't live in the US, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving (which falls on the

fourth Thursday of November) that also marks the first day of the Christmas shopping season. It's

also typically a day that major retailers reserve for some of the best bargains of the year. Cyber

Client : PayPal Country : Singapore Publication : Cnet Asia Date : 20 November 2012 Topic : Shopping for tech gadgets online [update] URL : http://asia.cnet.com/shopping-for-tech-gadgets-online-update-62212313.htm

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Monday, on the other hand, is the Monday that follows and is the day that online retailers take

advantage of the shopping frenzy.

However, if you're shopping at online US merchants, the discounts can start showing up weeks

before Black Friday. Large online retailers such as Amazon.com and Newegg.com should already

have some good offers up, and so do the respective brands themselves. Many deals are available for

a limited time, and some sites even state when certain deals will be available, so while the deals may

be great, the different time zone we're in also means you may have to wake up in the wee hours of

the morning to enjoy the discount.

Keep in mind that many major online retailers do not ship electronics overseas while some don't

even accept non-US credit cards. These limitations can sometimes be avoided with a good freight

forwarder, which we'll cover a little further down.

Adding stuff to your cart

So you've found exactly what you want at a great price. It's time to add stuff to your cart. Some tips

when adding products to your cart-- ensure you've keyed in the correct quantity and check that the

price you saw on the product page matches that in your virtual cart. Some online sites even display a

better price after the product has been "carted". Do note that it's better to already have an account

with your online site of choice to avoid losing out on limited time offers (popular during Black Friday

and Cyber Monday) as registering can take a few minutes.

Getting additional discounts

While you may think you already have the best deal on that latest tech gadget, there are some sites

that provide coupons for further discounts. These additional savings could apply to specific products

bought from a certain retailer or just give you free shipping. Sites such as RetailMeNot and Ultimate

Coupons could be helpful in saving you a bit more cash. These sites are also great places to start

shopping if you're just browsing for offers and don't have something specific in mind.

Making the purchase

A little common sense goes a long way toward safe online shopping. You should always check for the

credibility of the site and that the site isn't a copycat version that's part of a phishing scam. The left

side of your browser's address bar is a good place to start--it should show https (a secure

connection) or a lock symbol in the payment page--so check for these if you're unsure. Also, as a

general rule, stay away from dodgy-looking sites you've never heard of.

Some ways to make payment include using your credit card or PayPal account. These methods allow

you to dispute charges should the merchant fail to deliver your package. However, do keep in mind

that credit card companies may have different terms and conditions as well so do check with your

own bank for more information on this.

Shipping your product

If you're buying from a local merchant, shipping and delivery should be effortless and usually cost

very little. However, major online retailers in the US may not always ship their products to Asia,

especially when it comes to tech products. So there are two things you should check before making a

purchase: Does the retailer ship that product to my country and how much it costs?

If your favorite online store doesn't ship to where you live, there are freight forwarders that can help

do that for you. These services work by giving you an address in the country you're buying from—

thus making it a local delivery--and will ship the package to you from there. Companies such as

Borderlinx and comGateway provide users with a unique address to ship their products to.

While freight forwarders are a good idea, there are some things to keep in mind before using these

services:

Taxes: You will have to factor in local taxes in the country of purchase and where you live. However,

freight forwarders such as Borderlinx will allow for purchases of up to a certain amount (it's S$400 in

Singapore) to be taxfree.

Volumetric weight: Where possible, you should ask merchants to pack your goods in as small a

package as possible. You will be charged for both the weight and total size of a product.

Prohibited items: You may not be allowed to ship certain products to your country of residence.

While it goes without saying that drugs and weapons will land you in trouble, do check with local

customs on whether there are restrictions on other products as well.

What about eBay?

Shopping online will land you some good bargains, but you do need to be a streetwise and be able to

tell the deals from the scams. Also, you may be wondering why we didn't include eBay. The auction

site may have deals that are even better than online stores, but users will have to be more careful

since most sellers on eBay are individuals, not companies. There is also a higher chance that you'll

land yourself a counterfeit or defective product.

But if you know what you're doing and find a good deal from a trustworthy seller, eBay does have a

large selection of electronics that could be yours for great prices. Just remember to check seller

ratings and watch out for offers that are too good to be true.

Caveats of buying electronics from overseas

We're sure that many tech shoppers in Asia are a little envious of the prices of gadgets in the US, but

there are some caveats you should be aware of before clicking the "Buy" button on your favorite

online retailer. The most important one is obviously the lack of warranty support for most tech

products, so if you're worried about that, buy a local set.

Other things you should be aware of include compatibility with systems where you live, whether it's

the power supply, telecommunications network or a power plug that won't fit your socket. Due to

these issues, we generally wouldn't recommend buying tech that needs to be plugged into a wall

outlet to work (unless the savings are phenomenal); although rechargeable devices should be fine

(USB ports can charge many tablets, for instance). Phones are another purchase that may be

problematic. The last major issue is mass--the bigger and more expensive products may not be so

cost-effective to ship. Here's a summary of what you should look out for in various products:

TVs: Power supply may not be compatible, hefty shipping costs, may lack Asian language support,

possible TV system incompatibility (PAL or NTSC).

Phones: Need to be unlocked, network incompatibility, language support.

Cameras: Power adapter may not be universal, may lack Asian language support.

Laptops and tablets: May lack Asian language support, larger models can be expensive to ship.

Speakers: In-built power supply (for powered speaker and subwoofers) may be incompatible, larger

speakers are heavy and very expensive to ship.

Blu-ray Discs: Region codes may not be compatible with disc players in some parts of Asia.

E-book readers: Some e-book stores don't sell books to those without a local credit card.

Solid state drives: Larger capacity drives are expensive and may incur high taxes when shipped,

expensive to ship drive back if faulty.

Household appliances: Power supply may be incompatible, large appliances are expensive to ship