Are you planning to purchase a personal data assistant such as Palm TX or a smartphone? While you can purchase them from local retail stores, you probably will not get a discount on your purchase.
One way that you can get the best PDA deals is to use online auction sites.
However, you need to follow a few guidelines in order to make a good purchase.
Research retail prices for the item that you want.
Some auctions are listed at retail or even more.
Then, research the selling prices for completed auctions for the items that you are interested in.
Make sure to note the condition of the product sold as this can greatly affect the price.
This will give you an idea of the going rate for the item on that particular site.
Shipping prices vary.
Do not bid if the shipping amount is not listed, or you may get a nasty surprise when you win.
You can either email the seller for the cost, or only choose to deal with those that either quote a flat rate or provide a shipping calculator.
Check also which shipping service is being used as you may not want an expensive item sent by first class mail or worse, have to wait weeks because a budget shipping method was used Before placing a bid, check the feedback.
You want to choose someone who has a high feedback rating.
Although a negative here or there is to be expected especially with those who do a large volume of sales, the overall score should be high.
Make sure that the seller has sold a number of items, preferably over 100, so you have some assurance that they are not fly-by-night.
Also, look if the feedback is mostly from purchases rather than sales.
Some unscrupulous people will buy a bunch of products to get a good rating and then turn around and rip people off when they list their own items.
If you are uncomfortable making a large purchase online, escrow services are available.
These serve as a middleman between you and the lister so that you have some assurance that you will receive what you bought.
By following the tips above, you should be able find the best smartphone and PDA deals at online auction sites.
One way that you can get the best PDA deals is to use online auction sites.
However, you need to follow a few guidelines in order to make a good purchase.
Research retail prices for the item that you want.
Some auctions are listed at retail or even more.
Then, research the selling prices for completed auctions for the items that you are interested in.
Make sure to note the condition of the product sold as this can greatly affect the price.
This will give you an idea of the going rate for the item on that particular site.
Shipping prices vary.
Do not bid if the shipping amount is not listed, or you may get a nasty surprise when you win.
You can either email the seller for the cost, or only choose to deal with those that either quote a flat rate or provide a shipping calculator.
Check also which shipping service is being used as you may not want an expensive item sent by first class mail or worse, have to wait weeks because a budget shipping method was used Before placing a bid, check the feedback.
You want to choose someone who has a high feedback rating.
Although a negative here or there is to be expected especially with those who do a large volume of sales, the overall score should be high.
Make sure that the seller has sold a number of items, preferably over 100, so you have some assurance that they are not fly-by-night.
Also, look if the feedback is mostly from purchases rather than sales.
Some unscrupulous people will buy a bunch of products to get a good rating and then turn around and rip people off when they list their own items.
If you are uncomfortable making a large purchase online, escrow services are available.
These serve as a middleman between you and the lister so that you have some assurance that you will receive what you bought.
By following the tips above, you should be able find the best smartphone and PDA deals at online auction sites.