I've been itching to get a digital SLR camera so I can take full advantage of all the photography tips I've rounded up over the last year, but naturally, I'm looking for a good deal. So when looking online, I noticed that there is a huge range of prices for the same camera at different online retailers — can it be true that my coveted Nikon D60 really could cost me only $400 versus the $675 I've seen it priced elsewhere? My grandmother used to tell me, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is," and once I checked out these online retailers with ReSellerRatings, I knew my dream of getting the camera on the cheap was over.
Although it's easy to be swayed into going with the lowest price you can find online, see why it's smarter to spend a little more (and get what you pay for) when you read more
You could spend way less going with some random retailer that offers a lower price, but you might end up sitting on the phone with X Company's customer service as they try to bait and switch you into spending above and beyond what you could have spent for the same product elsewhere.
That is what ReSellerRatings is for: check out deals and surf thousands of ratings from actual customers, who have learned the hard way that going cheap may cost you more in the long run. Just enter the online store you're thinking of buying from, and you'll get a pretty good idea if they are reputable and worthy of your business. And seriously, if I'm going to fork over almost $700 for a camera, I better be getting great service, a great product, and a reliable seller! There are a few other places you can check out online retailer ratings to keep your money safe:
- The Better Business Bureau gives you valuable info on if the retailer you're looking into has any service, business, or transaction complaints filed against them.
- Share your experiences on StoreRatings. Not only can you leave a review, you can rate important factors like customer service, shipping process, and tech support.
- BizRate has a handy and fairly comprehensive ratings guide to their most used online retailers.
Do you have a go-to rating site that lets you in on online retailers' dirty little secrets? Add to the list in the comments below!
Heals
Zac Posen
Burberry
good tip!
1very savvy advice!
2Definitely good sites to know!
3Resellerratings is the first place I go after I find good deals online from sellers I'm unfamiliar with. Great site!
4good sites to know!
5I've referred to them when buying computer parts. But in the end, I usually stick with online merchants that I know and trust, like Buy.com, NewEgg, and Amazon.
6I just tried looking up a Nikon telephoto lens on ResellerRatings.com, I noticed that Amazon and other big chains like Circuit City and Target did not score very high compared to other sites I have not heard of before.
That seems odd to me - but I think this is a great tool to have on hand when thinking of buying online.
7Get into the habit!
I have had several horrible experiences buying online without checking reseller ratings first (I use BizRate). Trust me, it pays dividends to take this little extra step.
And I have found several very good places to spend my money online where I have always gotten great service at a great price. (Newegg.com for example)
8i love my d60 too!!! =D
9I don't know of any Canadian ones - does anyone else?
10Reseler Rating policy of charging merchants for the ability to reply to a negative review seems a bit like extortion. This site skews to the negative with competing sites leaving each other negative reviews. I wouldn't put to much faith in what's being said on this site. They have no way of verifying whether the person making the complaint was ever an actual customer of the site they are filing a complaint against.
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