Consumer Reports
The source for unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health and nutrition, and other consumer concerns.
Clark Howard
Clark Howard hosts a syndicated consumer advice radio show every afternoon.
Get consumer advice and information from this nationally syndicated talk show host here.
Consumer Advocacy and Information
Check out the most popular consumer advocacy sites in the Yahoo directory.
Shopping Advice from Good Housekeeping
The best time to...
Buy a House: mid-November through mid-January, when prices stabilize or even drop.
Rent a movie: Tuesdays at 1 p.m., weekend returns have been reshelved.
Call customer service: Wednesdays, but try to avoid calling between 10 a.m and 2 p.m.
Get reservations at a trendy restaurant: Unless you can call weeks ahead, the best time to call is the same day. Cancellations begin late morning and continue through the afternoon.
Go to the DMV: The day before a holiday while everyone is busy shopping or travelling.
Buy a new car: August 31, vacations and back to school sales leave dealer lots empty.
Click here for more advice for the savvy consumer.
eBay
|
Tips for Getting Started on eBay
|
| 1. |
Check a sellers feedback profile - Generally you should not buy from an eBay seller with less than 5 reviews in their feedback profile, or from someone with a feedback rating lower than 95%. |
| 2. |
Include the sellers shipping price in the total price and check the average selling price in stores using one of the price comparison links in the upper-left side of this page. Often, people buy things for more on eBay then they would have paid in a store. |
| 3. |
Search using title and description options. Since there is limited number of characters the eBay sellers can use in the title of the auction, you can find more items if you check the box that says, "search title and description." |
| 4. |
Bid at the last minute. If you bid too early on eBay, other interested bidders will see that you both want the same item and can outbid you at the last minute. If you wait to bid until there are only 15 seconds or less left in the auction, you can bid on an item and no one will have time to outbid you (unless, of course, your bid is not higher than the current bid). |
|
