Today's post was authored by Boulder Locavore. I am absolutely thrilled to have her as a guest blogger. Not only is she an expert on local, healthful food, but she's also a savvy shopper. If you eat on a regular basis - which I think we all do - YOU SHOULD SUBSCRIBE TO HER BLOG. Read on and happy shopping!
I’m so delighted that favorite friend She’s Thrifty invited me to ‘tell all’ about a great online shopping tool I’ve used for years; www.ebates.com. Though I normally blog about local food related topics, I cannot resist a bargain or getting the best value for things I shop for.
First off I’ll come clean and say I hate to shop. I have little time and if I need to shop I want a guarantee I’ll find what I’m looking for quickly and at the best price. Secondly I’ve become very fond of compulsory shopping being done in my pajamas at whatever time the whim hits NOT when stores are open. Online shopping has become a mainstay for me along with a few tips to save more money.
www.ebates.com is an online rebates website. They are associated with more stores than can be mentioned, of all genres. The retailers span ‘the big boys’ like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Gap, Macy’s to obscure nichey stores you may not have even heard of. Also the breadth of stores are wide; online photo sites, magazines and books, flowers and so much more.
Ebates.com has arranged with these stores to offer rebates (cold hard cash) to shoppers who begin their shopping on the ebates.com website and proceed quickly to their desired store.
Here’s how it works:
1. Go to www.ebates.com. You’ll need to register as a first time user. They do not require a ton of information, do not sell your information and you will not get barraged by follow-on email from them.
2. Once registered you may locate a store in one of three ways:
a. Search the categories on the left side of the web page, select the category and browse stores available within that category.
b. Use the SEARCH feature to type in a specific store name.
c. Select SHOP ALL STORES and you will be taken to an alphabetical listing of all the stores they work with.
3. When you find the store with whom you wish to shop, you’ll note the rebate amount is listed next to the store name. Also listed is a button: SHOP NOW. Once you press this button you’ll be transported through cyberspace to the store website just as if you started there directly.
4. You shop as normal and check out. Ebates automatically tracks your shopping, and will email you with the rebate amount you’ve earned. They mail out checks once a quarter. Again, it is a real check for cash; not a coupon for redemption.
It’s worth poking around on their website too as you can also find a variety of coupons (there is a tab for this) as well as periodic doubling of certain rebates.
I start every internet shopping excursion at www.ebates.com and have been constantly surprised at all the stores that participate (it’s more rare to find a non-participant in my vast repertoire of stores and this includes fringe stores you’d never expect) and delighted about money coming back to me!
In closing I must ask the obvious question, do we not all L-O-V-E She’s Thrifty’s blog? I know personally she’s commanding a significant international following and there is no surprise why! Wishing you all happy savings as you shop….in your PJ’s! Boulder Locavore
No comments:
Post a Comment