How to Save Money while shopping Online:

For some people, when it comes to shopping on the internet, finding a great deal isn't a priority. For others, a great bargain is the only reason to shop online at all. However, online retailers are making it tougher than ever for even the savviest of shoppers to find a deal on their websites, and have figured out a way to set a price for their items based on the way you shop.

Welcome to targeting technology, a new type of tool that aids online retailers in knowing exactly the kinds of things that you may be shopping for. As Smart Money magazine reported in their May of 2006 article "Buyer Beware;" "Using sophisticated software, some of the country's biggest retailers are tracking your buying patterns to figure out how much they can charge you."

This type of software is being used by an alarming number of online retailers, including three of the biggest; Amazon.com, Dell.com and Overstock.com. As Smart Money magazine reported, one customer realized they were a victim of targeting technology at Dell.com after seeing a price jump of $225 on the same item. Smart Money reported that this customer found a flat screen computer monitor at Dell.com priced at $525 after a $225 discount. They left the website and returned shortly only to find that the discount was gone and the new price of the monitor was $749.

This type of customer price targeting makes it difficult to get a great deal or sale on items you want to buy, because the software tracks how often you look at the item. By following your shopping patterns, a website can lure one new customer in with a great deal on an item, while charging a different amount for a customer that already shops there. The customer that found the great deal at Dell.com did not purchase the item right away, so the targeting software changed the price when they returned to look at the item again.

So what does that mean for online shoppers? Basically, it means that online retailers can now charge two different prices to a customer based on their shopping habits alone; a lower price for new online customers, and a higher price for people who already shop at their online store.

In the long run, it means that new customers get all of the good deals while loyal customers end up paying the highest prices. It also means that one minute you could be looking on a website at an advertised television on sale, and the next minute it could be hundreds of dollars more.

Many of these tracking devices time how long first time visitors are on the website, what kind of items they look at, whether the put anything in their shopping cart and what kind of purchases they made. The websites then offers promotions such as coupons and discounts in order to coax them into buying items that you looked at but didn't buy. However, once new customers become regular customers, the discounts and incentives usually end.

In many cases, the online shopper doesn't even realize that a coupon or discount may exist for an item they are searching for. If customers use a search engine to find a Dell computer, they will likely be directed right to Dell.com...and to the highest priced items. However, by searching for the same Dell computer on eDeals.com, you will be directed to the lower priced items and will find all of the coupons and discounts available on that product.

At websites like Edeals.com, you don't have to search endlessly or be a new customer get great deals. Edeals.com does all of the comparison shopping for you and helps you find the best deals on almost everything. By going through a third party website, such as eDeals.com, you can maximize your savings and always find the lowest prices, and including the deals and coupons that targeting technology may shield you from.

Next time you are in the market for a great deal on anything from a pair of jeans to a new cell phone, don't waste your time playing games in order to get the best price. Search eDeals.com for true bargains you can trust.