Use the Web to find the best bargains in shopping, shipping

By Nicole Paitsel, Technology / Internet

ShopSmart, a Consumer Reports publication, has compiled a list of seven Web sites that will help you skip the Web surfing and get to the real deals quickly. Here are their picks, which will appear in the November issue.

Buzzillions.com. The user-review site has more than 3 million consumer reviews on everything from electronics to cars and lower-ticket items like cosmetics and shoes. ShopSmart likes this site better than its rival Epinions.com because it offers a broad and changing list of keywords to click on for searching. The magazine also suggests sorting your search by the lowest ratings first to get the scoop on what not to buy.

Ebates.com. After registering your e-mail address, you can shop at more than 900 retailers. After you check out, the site credits your account with a rebate, which can be as high as 26 percent, although most are in the 1 to 4 percent range. You can also donate your rebate to charity. ShopSmart suggests clicking on the "Daily Double" tab, where rebates for one retailer are doubled each day.

Freeshipping.org. Choose a product category or a specific store to get the low-down on free-shipping offers. Most have minimum purchase amounts.

Heyitsfree.net. This blog was started by 25-year-old Ryan Eubanks who scours the Web daily to find free offers. You can search by product category or check out a long list of other freebie sites.

Pricegrabber.com. There are more than two dozen price comparison engines, but ShopSmart liked this one for its ability to calculate the total cost of an item, including shipping and tax. You can search by category and user ratings.

Retailmenot.com. There are many sites that gather online coupons, but weeding through expired or invalid codes can take time. ShopSmart says the codes on this site are reliable, and they like the comments section that lets users share their money-saving tips.

Shopittome.com. This site is for the true shop-aholic. After choosing from a list of clothing, shoe and accessory brands, entering your sizes and registering your e-mail address, you'll receive a daily or weekly e-newsletter with news about sales you're interested in. ShopSmart suggests signing up to receive the e-mail on Fridays, when most online retailers mark down clothing.

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