Shopping.com released a list of essential online shopping tips in time for the holiday shopping season. Shopping.com is a comprehensive comparison shopping service combined with more than one million in-depth consumer reviews. The service offers consumers detailed specifications and pricing information on five million products from three thousand stores.

Do your homework Take the time to research before you buy. Buying guides provide a useful introduction to different product categories and help you determine what best suits your needs.

Compare products Once you have narrowed your choices to a few products, find the right one for you. High quality consumer reviews can uncover the important pros and cons of similar products.

Calculate total price When you compare prices, don’t forget to add applicable tax and shipping charges to the base price. Many online stores regularly offer free shipping promotions.

Look beyond price Unfortunately, the lowest price stores do not always provide the highest level of customer service. Make sure to check a store’s reputation and rating before you buy.

Order ahead of time Give yourself a few weeks of lead time especially during the busy holiday season. You can pay extra to expedite the delivery of your order, but it may be costly!

Check return policies Before you buy, check the particular store’s return policy. Return policies can vary widely, though many online stores offer 30-day money back guarantees.

Pay by credit card Online fraud is rarely a problem, but just to be safe, many credit cards offer complete purchase protection. Debit cards may not offer you the same protection.

Keep your receipt Save your receipts in case you need to track your shipments or even return the item. You can even create a special email folder to store all of your online orders.

Share your experience Help others make smart decisions by recounting your shopping experience. Write reviews of the products you bought and the stores where you bought them.

You can visit Shopping.com at: http://www.shopping.com