We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Science

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Comparison Shopping?

By Sherry Holetzky
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 34,899
Share

If you want to save money, and get the best for the money you do spend, consider comparison shopping. It may sound tedious, but you might just find that it can actually be challenging and rewarding. Comparing brands to find out which one is the best value for the price will help you not only to get the best products for you or your family, but will also help you save money long term. Even if you don’t exactly exercise frugal living in all areas of your life, you can still practice comparison shopping to help you get the most for your money when you make certain purchases.

This type of shopping clearly goes beyond comparing prices. Finding the cheapest items doesn’t usually take a great deal of effort. However, finding the best quality items for the least amount of money is another story. This is one of the reasons that comparison shopping is becoming an industry of its own.

Much like a typical search engine, there are comparison shopping engines online where you can search for a particular item and websites will provide a number of selections related to the item of interest. You can compare brands, styles, colors, prices, and value. You may also be able to read reviews from customers who have already purchased the product. More often than not, this type of shopping service is free but there are also shopping clubs you can join, usually for a small annual fee. Shopping clubs generally do the legwork for you and offer only the best deals.

When you begin comparison shopping, you may also find that buying “economy size” products isn’t always the best value. Some companies trick consumers by simply offering an economy size, since many will assume it is cheaper to purchase a product in bulk. That’s not always the case. Sometimes, the larger package costs more per unit than the regular size option. Comparison shopping helps consumers choose the better value, when they check the price per ounce or price per unit carefully and compare it with similar brands.

Another tip for comparison shopping is to make sure that you don’t blindly use coupons. Coupons do frequently offer good discounts on popular products. Yet, sometimes you’ll find that the particular brand being discounted is more expensive than brands of similar or equal quality, even after the amount on the coupon is subtracted. It definitely pays to shop and compare.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon334292 — On May 11, 2013

Comparison shopping is one of the best ways to save money, especially in a time when there is not enough.

By anon248096 — On Feb 16, 2012

Comparison shopping may save you money but if you're not doing it online and just to save a dollar at a different store, think of the hidden costs like travel before considering the best price of milk or chocolate at an inconveniently located store 20 minutes from the closer one. You're most likely going to spend more than your savings.

By anon80538 — On Apr 27, 2010

Comparison shopping is the best way to save money while you are shopping online. Its a free service provided by websites. If you know the product you are going to buy and then if you want to check the best price available in stores, then the easiest way is to use the price comparison service.

At one shot you can find the prices of the product in each store. By this way you can save a lot of money.

By anon68812 — On Mar 04, 2010

Comparison shopping is the best way to save money.

By anon62822 — On Jan 28, 2010

Even though comparison shopping is a little time consuming, the benefits greatly outweigh the cost of time spent evaluating your different options.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-comparison-shopping.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.