TV Shopping? Small Tips for Big Savings on Holiday Gadgets

Nov. 30, 2009— -- The holiday shopping season is big for TV sales – almost 40 percent of all televisions are typically sold at the end of the year and retailers have conditioned us to expect big holiday price drops.

But the sale prices this year may not be as low.

One reason is because high demand in China is creating smaller inventories here in the United States.

So, what does that mean? Finding a good deal on a TV this year is more important than ever.

Here are three inside tips to finding the lowest prices on big ticket tech items like TV's.

Compare Prices

First, use an online comparison site like pricegrabber.com. Whether you want kitchen appliances, office technology or home entertainment electronics, pricegrabber lets shoppers compare information for millions of products online.

It connects consumers to traditional, big-box merchants such as Best Buy and Walmart, but also to smaller, local merchants and individual sellers.

It lists prices from retailers all across the Web to show you the best deals. You can also set up an e-mail alert so that you receive a message when the price drops on your TV of choice.

Timing Is Everything

And that brings up the next point- buy now or wait?

Pricespider.com tracks an item's price over a 6 month period.

By monitoring the fluctuations in a product's price you can determine if you should buy now or wait until it drops to the lower part of the price range.

Keep Your Eye on the Price, Even After You Buy

And here's the final tip – even after you buy your TV, you should track the price.

Many stores, for example, Best Buy, have a price guarantee.

If you buy something and, within the return period the price drops, go back in and they'll give you the difference.

Not all stores have this policy, and of course some restrictions apply. But who has time to check prices every day after you buy?

PriceProtectr.com Tracks Your Purchases

That's where sites like priceprotectr.com come in. You tell the site where you bought your TV, when you bought it and how much you paid for it. Priceprotectr tracks the price, and e-mails you with any changes in price.

If it drops you can go back to the store and get a refund.

And remember, you can use these Web sites to find a deal on any electronics item, not just TV's.