by Roy Primm (Shoppers Coach) Getting the best value for the price
Can be especially nice When the value you get Is easy on your wallet And the satisfaction received is precise.
Many people make the mistake of price shopping instead of value shopping. The difference in savings and satisfaction is often major. Shopping for lowest price can work if what you're buying is relatively unimportant when it comes to longevity, comfort or safety. In other words if it's for temporary or short-term use. For example, a disposable item or an item you're using to try out before buying a more expensive version. What's the mistake many people make when shopping for the lowest or cheapest price? Expecting longevity, comfort or safety from a product not designed, produced or made for those purposes. Usually if the price is low the quality, comfort or durability factor is low ... all things considered. When people focus solely on how cheap a product is they usually pay the most because they have to buy another product sooner. Or worse, the product fails to provide the safety needed for the task, causing injury. But no smart shopper wants to pay the highest price for a product, after all you wouldn't be reading this if you did, right? The best shoppers always fall between these two extremes. Buying the best quality product or service for the lowest price. This is a valuable skill learned by following 3 simple secrets. If you follow these 3 secrets you’ll get the best value for your money whatever you're shopping for. 1. Research - By using the internet this step is easier now than ever before. To research you no longer need to pour through stacks of books, manuals and periodicals at your local library. Now all you need to research is the click of your keyboard or computer mouse. Now you can research faster, deeper and wider for any product or service with ease. 2. Comparison Shopping Search Engines - To save even more time smart online shoppers use comparison shopping engines. Much like general search engines, but comparison shopping search engines focus on shopping sites who sell what you're searching for. Yes, with the click of a mouse you can find the lowest up-to-the-minute prices for hundreds of thousands of products, tickets, clothing or even automobiles. The more popular sites are Price.com, Shopzilla.com, Pricescan.com and many others two many to mention. The best way to use these sites is to have a focused plan before you log onto the sites. Why? Because they often have hundreds of thousands of products, the sheer number can overwhelm you if you don't approach them with a focused plan. Know what specific product you're looking for, the size, color and model number if possible. When comparison shopping make sure you're comparing apples with apples. That's why having the model number is important, this assures you're comparing the same product. 3. Buy Wisely - After doing the research with the energy of a mad scientist, and comparison shopping like a seasoned pro many people blow it at this stage. How? They buy an item too complicated for them to use after they get it home. It's surprising how many home theater systems and other computer electronics sit gathering dust because they were too complicated to install or use. This is a growing problem I witness over and over. This problem is growing so fast a new industry is developing from it called "The After-market Installation Industry". One of the most popular companies is Geek Squad and many others. These companies specialize in installing electronic equipment for people who thought they could when they bought it - but found out they couldn't. "The competition in the electronics related industry is so fierce the pressure to get new products on the market fast - grows each day. The result? The technical writers having less and less time to write manuals the average consumer can understand," states an industry insider. As the competition thickens the problem will thicken. So make sure you factor in the possible cost of installation, and other after-market services when buying electronic equipment or appliances. Conclusion If you take the time to follow these 3 steps you'll find the purchases you make will crown you with more enjoyment. The savings will give you a rush of good feelings and satisfaction. In addition, you'll get better and better results each time you apply the steps to your shopping. That's value you'll find hard to beat! Questions or comments email: publisher@shopperscoach.com
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