The Web’s best shoppers

The key to finding a good deal is being opportunistic and following price trends, Chui said. LCD televisions, he says, "have been falling in price literally $100 a month."

Karen Hoxmeier, the stay-at-home mother who created My Bargain Buddy, looks for gifts year-round, like the $3.59 margarita blender with chopper attachment that she scored in the clearance section of a home décor Web site, or the suede jacket she picked up at the end of a season for $12, rather than its original $120 price.

• Smart Spending blog: Check out today's best money-saving tips

Hoxmeier keeps many of these purchases in a box in her garage. When one of her kids has a birthday party to go to, or she needs another Christmas present, out comes one of these under-$10 gems.

Ask yourself: Do I need this?

Deals like these are getting easier to find, said Patti Freeman-Evans, retail analyst with Jupiter Research, as online retailers look to court new customers and retain existing ones.

While the $100-plus billion in online sales forecast for 2006 is just 5% of the total retail pie, it is growing at a clip of about 15% a year, Evans said, making it much more important to retailers' overall well-being.

And just because people purchase their goods in a brick-and-mortar store doesn't mean the Internet hasn't played a part in the purchase. An estimated 25% of offline purchases result from online research, she said.

Indeed, with sites like ShopLocal, you can even scan deals at stores in your area before getting in your car.

"The trick is to be shopping all the time," Chui said.

But beware, this kind of deal-hunting can quickly become an obsession, one that eats up hours of your time each day and runs up hundreds of dollars on your credit card.

Hoxmeier said she has scaled back her Internet buying significantly "At first I was going broke by saving money," she said. "UPS was here every day. Now, I shop vicariously through others."

Enders knew he had gone too far when he asked himself, "Did I really need a $35 laser pointer, even if it was only $5?"

Shop online like the pros do

Take a look at some of the advice from experienced "Deal Sharks."

• Don't wait until the last minute to shop. Look for deals on the things you need or want to buy, daily, scanning discount sites, your favorite retailers and coupon sites like www.couponcabin.com to put together the best deal. Also, try and buy products off-season, when they can often be had for a pittance if you use coupon codes.

• Be flexible with brands. While you might have a preference for Sony or JVC stereos, a rebate of several hundred dollars might make another similar product hundreds of dollars more affordable.

• Expect free shipping (or at least flat-rate shipping.) It is quickly becoming a prerequisite for most merchants, analysts say.

• Subscribe to your favorite retailer's mailing lists. While you may get more e-mail than you'd like, you'll also get more discounts, many tailored to you buying habits and tastes. And ask retailers about their price-matching programs.

• Don't assume the price you find on a price-comparison search engine is the best deal. While they are a good place to start, experts say, they don't include all retailers and often don't include available coupons, frequent shopper discounts and other freebies like gifts with purchase.

If all else fails, ask for help finding a deal. Bargain sites like fatwallet.com and slickdeals.net have forums where you can post your plea for coupon codes, or ask for advice on how to get the best deal on the specific product you are searching for.

Updated Dec. 5, 2007

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