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December 4, 2004 08:51 AM

Shopbots: Your Own Automated Shopping Assistant On The Web


Excerpt: A shopbot is the perfect marriage of science and convenience. Go to a site, ask for what you want to buy, and the computer searches the Web and presents a selection of retailers, deals and prices.


A shopbot is the perfect marriage of science and convenience. Go to a site, ask for what you want to buy, and the computer searches the Web and presents a selection of retailers, deals and prices.

But, like anything else, it's not perfect. Many retailers pay for better placement on shopping sites so the selections that come up first are not necessarily the best deals. And unless you're dealing with the total cost, including shipping plus any fees and taxes, price comparisons are meaningless.

And a "bot" can't necessarily factor in all the things that are important to you when you shop. For example: Can the retailer get you those lovely pink fuzzy slippers in time or are they on back order?

But some sites do find ways to help you filter criteria that are important, such as availability and customer satisfaction. The sites can be a great tool to provide you a good snapshot of what items might be available and at what price. And they can save you a lot of time and shoe leather.

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Bush Signs Internet Tax, Special Ed Bills (December 05, 2004)
WASHINGTON (AP) - State and local governments will be barred from taxing connections that link people to the Internet for the next three years under legislation signed Friday by President Bush. The measure blocks taxation of all types of Internet connections, from traditional dial-up services ...
The Wide World Of Online Shopping (December 04, 2004)
Got a hankering for your hometown special? Look no further than your nearest computer. From Philly cheesesteaks to New York cheesecakes, Texas chili to New Mexico chili peppers, you should have no problem finding your latest craving on the Internet. Not hungry? You can promise ...
Traveler: Know Your Options (December 04, 2004)
You're looking forward to that much-needed vacation or family visit this holiday season -- but brace yourself now for travel shakeups, as airlines cancel flights and adjust schedules to make the most of their stretched-thin dollars. While airlines make most schedule changes months in advance ...
Worried Merchants Throw Discounts at Shoppers (December 04, 2004)
Got a credit card ready? The markdowns have begun. America's merchants, shocked by a mediocre post-Thanksgiving weekend, are rushing to mark down their merchandise - way before the majority of holiday shoppers have even seen it. At the beginning of November, merchants had reduced prices ...

Read all 21 posts in the same category of Spending:

Cell Phone Calls In Flight? - Dec 09, 2004
Holiday Tipping - Dec 09, 2004
Tunes Coming To Callers? - Dec 08, 2004
Electronic Ways to Pay Eclipse Checks in Number - Dec 07, 2004
The Trouble With Rebates - Dec 07, 2004
Customers Tire of Excuses for Rebates That Never Arrive - Dec 07, 2004
'Phishing' Attacks Surge In 2004 - Dec 06, 2004
Bush Signs Internet Tax, Special Ed Bills - Dec 05, 2004
The Wide World Of Online Shopping - Dec 04, 2004
Traveler: Know Your Options - Dec 04, 2004
Worried Merchants Throw Discounts at Shoppers - Dec 04, 2004
Regifting 101 - Dec 02, 2004
Health Costs Up 7.5% - Dec 02, 2004
5 Popular Holiday Shopping Scams - Nov 30, 2004
Slick Tips for Holiday Shopping - Nov 28, 2004
Give Gifts That Give Back - Nov 28, 2004
Tips For Stretching Your Holiday Budget - Nov 26, 2004
Meet The Bargain Hunters: Three Everyday Experts Share Their Tips - Nov 26, 2004
Smart Holiday Shopping - Nov 25, 2004
Some Shoppers Find Fewer Happy Returns - Nov 07, 2004