TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPIC: BUYING STUFF ONLINE

I still meet people who tell me they've never purchased anything on the Internet. I always tell 'em that it's safer to use a credit card online than in a department store, and there are so many tools to help you find the right product AND save money in the process. Want to find websites for product reviews and price comparison? Read on!

PRODUCT REVIEWS

EPINIONS - Find out what real people in the real world think about the products they've purchased. Epinions features volunteer and professional reviews of consumer goods.

EPINIONS - http://www.epinions.com

CARS - There's a wealth of free information to car buyers and sellers on the Web. Find new and used car prices & reviews, buying and selling advice, loan payment calculators and much more here:

EDMUNDS - http://www.edmunds.com

CARS.COM - http://www.cars.com

COMPUTER STUFF - The editors at CNET and PCWorld offer reviews, comparisons and advice for business, home and budget buyers. If you're in the market for a computer, printer, monitor, or other geeky accessory, check out these sites:

CNET - http://computers.cnet.com

PCWORLD - http://www.pcworld.com/reviews

PRICE COMPARISON

BEST WEB BUYS - Tired of going from store to store to find the best price? Best Web Buys allows consumers to search for products they want across several stores at the same time, with a focus on Books, Music, Videos, Bikes, and Electronics.

BEST WEB BUYS - http://www.BestWebBuys.com

MY SIMON - Compare products and prices from online stores around the Web. Covers Apparel & Accessories, Beauty & Health, Books, Music & Movies, Computers & Software, Consumer Electronics, Flowers, Gifts and other categories.

MYSIMON - http://www.mysimon.com

PRICE WATCH - The fastest way to find a great street price on a computer product, since August '95. Price Watch allows retailers to updates their prices in real time so you get the latest pricing info.

PRICEWATCH - http://www.pricewatch.com

DISCOUNTS & COUPONS

DEALOFDAY.COM - is a popular site for shoppers to visit BEFORE they shop. The site includes hundreds of coupons and discounts available for hundreds of web merchants. Members also enjoy message boards, live chat, contests, auctions, newsletters and more!

DEAL OF DAY - http://www.DealofDay.com

AMAZING BARGAINS - Offers a consolidated source for coupons, discounts, and bargains. The stores are all hand-selected to ensure that you get the best possible online shopping experience. All the bargains are organized by category, by store, by expiration date, or by popularity.

AMAZING BARGAINS - http://www.amazing-bargains.com

ONLINE AUCTIONS

EBAY - It's the mother of all auction sites, the 800-pound gorilla, the whale in the fishtank of online auctions. Thousands of people buy and sell antiques, books, collectibles and a million other things here everyday. Last year, over $5 billion (USD) worth of goods was traded on the eBay site.

EBAY - http://www.ebay.com

AUCTION INSIGHTS - Doug Feiring, creator of this site, says online auctions are easy, fun, low-risk, and can generate great income. But getting started can be a bit daunting. Auction Insights provides strategies, ideas, and resources to help you succeed in the online auction business. Learn how to create effective auction listings, find auction shareware and freeware. And for bidders, how to find the items you want at the lowest price.

AUCTION INSIGHTS - http://www.auctioninsights.com

OTHER POPULAR AUCTION SITES - Couldn't find it on Ebay? Try Ubid or Amazon Auctions.

UBID - http://www.ubid.com

AMAZON AUCTIONS - http://auctions.amazon.com

CONSUMER PROTECTION

CONSUMER.GOV - A "one-stop" link to a broad range of U.S. government information resources available online. Locate information by category -- such as Food, Health, Product Safety, Your Money, and Transportation. ScamAlert! provides current information on fraudulent and deceptive practices in the marketplace.

CONSUMER.GOV - http://www.consumer.gov

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU - The BBB website lets you check out a company or charity, file a complaint or locate a local BBB office. Also has good information in the Consumer Tips area.

BBB - http://www.bbb.org

That's all for now, I'll see you next time! --Bob Rankin