browsing for
BARGAIN$
K_\i\Ëj;ef;Y\kk\i;
nXp;kf;jXm\;
dfe\p;k_Xe;Yp;
j_fgg`e^;fec`e\Ç
Ylk;fecp;`];pfl;
befn;n_\i\;
kf;cffb%;N\Ëcc;_\cg;
pfl;jk\\i;Zc\Xi;f];
_Xjjc\j;Xe[;
_\X[XZ_\j;jf;pfl;
ZXe;q\if;`e;fe;k_\;
Y\jk;Ylpj%;
Yp;:Xifc;D`k_\ij
I know, I know—there are only a few weeks left before the holidays and I haven’t started shopping yet. But there’s a method to my madness. Money’s tight, so I’ve been holding out for last-minute, rock-bottom prices. And no worries about going elbow-to-elbow with crowds at the mall, since I’m getting my
stuff online. Like many Americans, I’ve totally bought into e-commerce, and not just
because it’s fast and convenient—it’s where the real deals are. Web sales across the
board increased nearly 5% last year, despite the financial downturn (at Amazon
.com, the biggest e-tailer on the block, sales were up nearly 30%). And as more mer-
chants shutter their brick-and-mortar
stores in favor of hanging out virtual
shingles, they know they’ve got to offer
the best prices and service to stay alive.
But it can be a jungle out there. Six out of
every ten people say Web shopping has
left them feeling confused, overwhelmed
or frustrated. It doesn’t have to be that
(continued)
