Comparison Shopping for Major Purchases
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Comparison Shopping for Major Purchases
It’s time for another list or chart.
Down the side of a piece of paper, list the features of the purchase that you decided upon. The price will be at the bottom. So that you are comparing apples to apples, exclude any extra costs such as shipping, delivery, installation, and warranty, as examples, and put them in separate rows. Across the top of the paper, show the manufacturer/models. You can now fill the grid boxes with an X, giving you a big picture of your options. It might look something like this:
Extended warranties
A few words about extended warranties:
- Be sure when you compare them that you look at the length of extended service, exactly what is covered, and the cost.
- Some charge cards (American Express, for example) provide extended warranties on major purchases. So, even if you plan to pay in full for your purchase before interest accrues, you may want to pay with your credit card. In that case, you don’t want to pay for two extended warranties.
Shipping
If you have decided to make your purchase online, ask about shipping options. Some stores give you the option of shipping your purchase to your home at an additional cost, or ship it to a nearby store for free. You can only use this option if you have the ability to pick up your purchase.
How to find more price and product information
The list of Websites dedicated to price and product comparison shopping is endless. You can use them to find a wealth of information on prices and features.