10 Best UK Shopping Tools
With the increasing popularity of shopping online, many of us are looking to get the best deals that we possibly can on a wide range of products and services. But how can we get the best bargains?
We've listed 10 tools that will make online shopping easier here in the UK. Bookmark this page and you'll always have links to the shopping essentials:
1. A good search engine
This may seem obvious, but having access to a good search engine is an excellent starting point. Google.co.uk is the obvious choice for most people - using the UK version will allow you to concentrate your efforts on UK stores and reviews.
For alternatives, you might try the likes of Yahoo and Bing - the latter is from Microsoft.
2. A price comparison service
Are price comparison sites any good? The answer is that they can be, although you do need to be aware that they have their limitations. Be aware that not all sites will list all UK retailers. So who are the big players here in the UK?
Check out Kelkoo, Pricerunner and Google Product Search.
3. Sourcing discount codes
Discount codes can help you to save a lot of money. We obviously recommend that you check out our listings here at Offer UK but there are other discount code sites available online.
4. Consumer reviews
Not sure about a particular retailer or product? Independent review websites allow consumers to write about their own experiences. Take some reviews with a pinch of salt, but they can be handy.
Examples include Dooyoo, Ciao and Review Centre.
5. Which?
You can use Which online to get honest advice - it's aimed at people like you and me, so it tends to be well-written and easy to follow.
6. UK newspapers
A lot of people don't think to look at the UK newspapers online for buying advice but you might be surprised to find just how much information they have. Especially useful if you're looking to buy some new gadgets, or maybe considering booking a holiday.
The established broadsheets tend to lead the way - try The Guardian, The Times, The Independent and the Daily Telegraph online.
7. Second hand options
Many products might be cheaper second hand and would still do the job. Although Ebay do lead the way, there are other options too.
Both Gumtree (classified ads) and Freecycle are worth a look. Your local newspaper may also have classified ads listings online.
8. Trading Standards
Are you worried about a particular website or purchase? If something doesn't look quite right then your local Trading Standards office may be able to help.
9. Specialist trade magazines
If you're making a larger purchase then you may want to consult people with expertise in that specific area. Good examples of this would include the likes of PC Pro for computing, Trip Advisor for holidays and Autotrader for cars.
10. Consumer forums
There are some great forums available online. You can use them to talk about retailers, products and services with other consumers. Find out about what others have to say and get some great advice.
A great starting point would be Money Saving Expert but there are others around too.
We hope the above tools will be useful. Keep this page bookmarked and you'll always be able to use it as a handy starting point before doing any shopping online.