Where to Shop on Cyber Monday -- Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart?

Cyber Monday brings with it a lot of opportunities for big deals. So the question becomes, which place is going to give a better return on that precious dollar? In this article, we'll take a quick look at what three of the most popular online retailers, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, have to offer.


Amazon Amazon.com Homepage


The number one seller of online products and best place to hunt for bargains is Amazon.com. They feature a deal of the day and ongoing lightning deals, and some of these are pretty darn incredible, offering buys on TVs, computers, electronics, sports gear, and so much more at as much as 80 to 90% off their regular price.

Most items at Amazon come with free shipping when the total is $25 or more. While prices have been cut over most categories on hundreds, probably thousands, of products, if buying from one of Amazon's e-stores or featured sellers, products may not be eligible for free shipping so consumers need to make sure they read listings completely.

Also on Amazon.com, there are several freebies for consumers who buy certain products. As a rule, look for these at the top of the browser.

Finally, they have a clear FAQ located at Amazon.com Homepage that spells out the rules. In addition, if buyers have issues or questions, they have live chat and phone lines available (and they will even call the consumer) in addition to email, which may be too slow. Twitter alerts are an option for how to know about what's coming up. The specifics are included in the FAQ.

Best Buy

As busy if not busier than its brick and mortar stores, Bestbuy.com is another key place to go for savings on electronics, gadgets, laptops, and more. Like Amazon.com, prices have been slashed on more products than any article can discuss. The site is also offering free shipping on most items, be it large TVs or little camcorders, with no minimum limit.

Bestbuy.com, as well as Amazon.com, have online forums where customers frequently discuss products and are there to respond to queries about potential purchases. It's not guaranteed, but it can be helpful should someone be around when the buyer has an inquiry. They do have a phone line available for consumers to call with questions.

Walmart

The third online presence of note is Walmart.com. They say new items will be discounted daily during their multi-day event. They do have free shipping on selected items, including electronics, but it's very split. Some laptops, for example, have free shipping to the store, but not to the home. It's the same for TVs. Consumers need to be very alert when choosing their buys if shipping is an issue for them.

As for pricing, a random check of two items doesn't show that any one of the three is necessarily better than the other.

The iPod Apple Touch, 8GB (newest generation) is selling at Amazon.com for $214, at BestBuy.com for $229.99, and at Walmart.com for $210. The Flip UltraHD Video Camera - Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (3rd Generation) is priced at $170.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy, while pricing out at $179 at Walmart.

Conclusion

Though subjective, in the opinion of this reviewer, Amazon.com has the easiest to read website with simple, basic navigation and everything very clear and up front. The deals are constant throughout the day and can really provide awesome savings for the computer surfer.