| For
best bargains, go to the source | | |
| Toshiba, for instance, is currently
offering a $599 laptop through its site -- after a $100 manufacturer rebate. That
compares favorably to prices at some stores.
But experts say you need knowledge in order to get
what's right for you.
"Dell can sometimes run specials that can give you quite a
bit for your money -- but the key is, do you know what you want
and do you understand what you are buying," says Arlene Watkins,
president of Heritage Computer Consulting and Services in Kansas
City, Mo.
Watkins says a
key difference between major electronics retailers and manufacturers is what they
are actually selling.
"Our experience, working with small businesses, is that Best
Buy and Circuit City are more for home use. They usually do not
have what we call business-class machines, and their computers are
designed for lower productivity."
So if you want some serious computing power, you might be better
off with the people who made the computer.
Another area where
going to the manufacturer can save you money is computer parts. 'I always
feel that it's better to go through the manufacturer, because then you know it's
compatible," says Watkins. "If you're not computer-savvy, you can make
it more expensive for yourself by purchasing elsewhere."
Clothing, restaurants and dry cleaners
For faithful one-brand shoppers, going to
the site is sometimes the cheapest way to go. Many clothing makers, like
The Gap, offer deals to those who seek them out online, and their credit cards
will give coupons to frequent shoppers. Ditto for pizza lovers. Pizza Hut,
for instance, has a slew of coupons on its site, so there's no need to root around
the Sunday coupon inserts. It's not just the chains. A lot of local restaurants
and bakeries offer something special to those who actually contact them. And
if you're making pizza yourself, the manufacturer principle still applies. Hunt's
tomato sauce will give you a coupon for registering. Of course, one of
the minuses of home cooking is the mess. But if you do find yourself with new
stains, you can take advantage of the dry cleaning deals available for those who
surf a home page before leaving home.
Concord Custom Cleaners in Iowa City, for instance, offers special
Web-only coupons to those who visit their site. Many other local
cleaners do the same.
Books? Consider the publisher
If you are buying a specialty book, or something from
a small press, try the publisher. It could save you plenty.
Brian Whitehead, who is a graduate student in English at the University
of Iowa, was pleasantly surprised when he tried it.
'It was a book about military aviation history, and I bought it
directly from the publisher," Whitehead says. "At Barnes
and Noble, it was $35, and I got it through the publisher's Web
site for $20."
Tupelo Press, an independent literary press in Dorset, Vt., has
been offering two-for-one deals through its site all summer.
Many small presses with specific audiences have similar deals.
So before you pay a lot for that unusual book, try the publisher. | 
