Comparison Shopping: The Ultimate Resource To Save Time and Money (Pre-Holiday Tip!)

Saving money is often the foremost thing on most of our minds (especially when it comes to holiday shopping!) When we get down to the business of indulging in a new toy, household item or other product, saving ourselves time ranks a not-so-distant second.

Besides, with huge range of products available today, finding the balance between the best price versus the best quality may take you hours of research and driving from mall to mall.

But, with the nearly endless responsibilities that life puts on our plates each day, who has time to spare?

If you answered that question with a resounding “not me,” then check out these four fantastic comparison shopping tools that allow you to save both time and money:

1. ShipGooder

Sometimes the biggest expense with an online purchase is shipping, a terrible problem that many market analysts see as the last big hurdle to getting people to switch en masse to online shopping over more traditional brick and mortar stores. Whether you shop via a third-party connection marketplace like Amazon or direct from the official website of your favorite retailer, the deals offered often seem very nice, until you reach the shipping page and find that what little money you hoped to save would be negated when you add in the cost of delivery.

When you’re dealing with prohibitive shipping costs, the new ShipGooder server is an excellent tool that helps you to flesh out your options. Simply enter two zip codes and the package weight and ShipGooder will instantly return the available options for you to scan, saving you both time and money when it comes to shipping and receiving online purchases.

2. Nextag

General price comparison websites are a dime a dozen, but Nextag stands out for its sheer size as well as its ease-of-use. The website’s simplistic design makes searching for a particular product a breeze, and their wide range of merchant partnerships means that millions of products are available through their service.

With more than 10 years of experience and 30 million users per month taking advantage of it, there is no doubt that Nextag is a leader where price comparison is concerned, and you’ll definitely find it useful, assuming they partner with the merchants you need to find the product you’re looking for.

3. PriceGrabber

One of the most popular price comparison websites in the world, PriceGrabber is well-known for its thorough product listings. The website provides both a search function and handy highlights on popular products, helping you to find the best deal on the hottest items with only a click or two, saving you time even while it promises to save you money.

Unlike Nextag, PriceGrabber provides comparisons in price and reviews from retailers across the internet, not requiring them to sign into any type of partnership. This means that you’re getting a full overview of what the web has to offer in the way of products, prices, delivery times and costs, and more.

4. RedLaser

With mobile access now representing the way that many of us use the web, having a price comparison tool that can travel in your pocket is a valuable thing. This is one of a few ways that the RedLaser smartphone app sets itself apart from the competition. This app installs on your Apple iPhone or Google Android smartphone, making itself available to you when you’re shopping in order to give you the scoop on what other retailers, both online and offline, are charging for the same products.

Products can be searched by UPC code or even via QR data if your phone’s camera is of a high enough quality to take a clear shot of a product’s barcode. This instantly presents you with a wealth of data, including comparative prices, GPS-enabled directions to competitors, and access to prices at online giants like eBay and Amazon, all coming together to ensure that you don’t spend a single dollar more than necessary to get the product that you want.

5. Collaborative Saving

This is a bit different in concept from the above tools but one that has some incredible potential: It offers you the ability to let your friends suggest deals to you. It makes perfect sense, people who you trust and who you probably share common interests with can suggest to you most relevant and reliable deals (as well as where to buy things).

Happier (currently in beta) is so far the best example of this concept being implemented.

Luckily, we have online shopping tools to help us save time and money. Are there any other comparison shopping tips you use? Please share them in the comments!

Your thoughts: Do you have any comparison shopping resource in your mind?

Featured photo credit:  A couple selecting paint samples via Shutterstock