BestShopSites
Bottom Line Rating*

Best Sites
Capsules/Description

Accolades

CNET Shopper
www.shopper.com

 Forbes Review: "This industry giant has acquired some top Web properties over the last year, including KillerApp and, most recently, ZDNet. The result: a dizzying site with product reviews and pricing information of unparalleled breadth and depth. Looking for a wireless handheld? A flat-panel monitor? CNET puts products through rigorous testing and the Editors’ Choice section reveals top picks in each category. Once you hone in on a model, you’ll find a full listing of features and accessories, along with extensive reviews, a performance chart, user comments and a huge price-comparison grid. Want to cut to the chase? Go to the quickie CNET review and ratings. Check the auction area for used-gear bargains." (Forbes--click here for full review)

EW Review: "Before you shop anywhere else (for any computer product, at least), check out what CNET's comparative shopping engine turns up. Browse the categories or search for a specific model--then sit back and smile as you gaze upon the big picture: a chart listing all the shopping sites that sell the item, their prices, locations, phone numbers, shipping costs, in-stock status, and links to the stores themselves. Sort by company name or price, then follow the link to the seller if you want more information or want to buy. This is the Web's killer app. A" 

"A" & "Best of Breed" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

Forbes Top-Rated Favorite in Best of the Web 9-11-00

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#4 ranking in Category)

Forbes Review: "Over 170,000 products including hardware, software and computer accessories. For electronics, you’re forwarded to Tweeter.com . Outpost’s computer descriptions are long and jargon-filled. Inventory lagged in some areas; when we visited, there were no products listed under motherboards or power supplies. And although Outpost is an authorized Macintosh reseller, Mac selection was thin relative to other categories. The Memory Outpost features a handy configurator tool to help you figure out how much memory you’ll need for your different devices." (Forbes--click here for full review)

ZDNet review: "Some online computing stores slap you with hidden transaction and handling fees as you check out. Not this Editors’ Choice­winning store. It offers the TruePrice system, which shows you the complete price of an item delivered to your door, and you’ll find a 30-day, money-back guarantee on every item as well. Outpost.com is an authorized dealer for a number of hardware manufacturers including the recently added IBM, making it a good one-stop shopping source for high-tech gear."

click here for Forbes Reader ratings

ZDNet Top 100 Websites 4-26-00

PC Magazine Editor's Choice 10-29-99

Computers4SURE.com
www.Computers4SURE.com

EW Review: "Don't let the hokey name mislead you; this site knows what shoppers want. Categories are organized by tabs at the top of all screens, and the site's filled with reminders suggesting you might, perhaps, buy toner when you purchase that printer. Not happy with how it prints? Exchange or return it within 30 days with no restocking fee. Cool, 4sure. A-"

Forbes Review: "Computers4sure is known for its competitive prices. We wish we knew how to locate these prices, and the items priced, in a quick and orderly fashion." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"A-" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#2 ranking in Category)

Forbes 9-11-00

Beyond.com
www.Beyond.com

EW Review: "Downloading software is the wave of the future, but Beyond.com lets you have it both ways. Browse software categories (games, graphics, kids, Internet, reference, etc.), purchase an application, and wait for the package to be mailed to you--or go to the Software Download Center, consult the estimated download time (depending on your connection speed), and save a tree--often for less than the boxed version. Extras include a gift center with recommendations, buyer's guides, and lists of the top-selling titles. A-"

"A-" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

click here for comparison of "Big Six" Shopping Sites in PC Magazine 10-29-99

EW review: "Real-world stores offer a few things online-only shops can't: trust in the brand name and a place to go if there's a problem with the merchandise. Although they ''don't yet have all our products online,'' Circuit City's e-selection is well organized, and there are background articles about certain kinds of products, glossaries, detailed product descriptions and photos, and interactive feature-by-feature product-comparison charts. Still want to feel/see/hear that gadget in person? Use the site's store seeker to find a location near you.  Grade: A"

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

Forbes Review: "The second-most visited electronics site on the Web, with a large inventory of TVs, audio devices, cameras, phones—but no computers. Navigation is simple. Once you choose a product, you can browse all the models, or choose specific features then sort by brand or price. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, click Compare and you’ll get a side-by-side chart of features, prices and specs. Need help deciding? The Expert Help click offers (sometimes windy) articles on important product features. Live online help was great. A split screen allowed us to shop while monitoring the area for a response—which came in about three minutes." (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings

Forbes Review:  "Low prices and an easily navigated site. Buy.com sells more than just electronics and it has sister sites for the U.K., Canada and Australia. Not a place for research but deals abound.... Set up a wish list and Buy.com will e-mail it to friends and relatives."(Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#3 ranking in Category)

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

click here for comparison of "Big Six" Shopping Sites in PC Magazine 10-29-99

Forbes Review: "Smartly organized with clicks for Learn, Buy and Build. The Learn Library offers extensively detailed resources on a wide range of subjects ranging from the three primary sound formats for home theater to dealer contacts for custom installations. And a tech glossary demystifies terms and acronyms from AC3 to XLR. Buyers can expect a detailed choice of offerings: The TV area includes options for Rear Projection, Plasma Display and WebTV. Look for the occasional sweet deal....The easy-to-use “build a system” feature lets you create the perfect home theater system" (Forbes--click here for full review)

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Forbes Review: "Team up here with other shoppers for bulk discounts. The more people who sign on to purchase a particular product within a specified time frame, the lower the price goes. Can’t make up your mind on what to buy? Use Save a Spot to reserve your order in the group until the price drops to the right level. The Buyer Flash function sends e-mails to alert you when a desired product reaches a selected price. An AcerPower 8600-T800A desktop’s price started at $2,405. With five people buying, the price came down to $2,050. With 16 to 26 people, it dropped to $1,949." (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings

EW review: "If you're a hi-fi wonk, you know to name-drop international brands. No surprise, then, that this site is the exclusive online dealer of Audes, BC Acoustique, Chord, Quad, Roksan, and Wharfedale, in addition to more recognizable names like Toshiba and Aiwa. The Product Recommender helps you match components to your needs, and the site will send technicians to your house to set up that $5,000 home theater you just bought.  Grade: A-"

"A" in Entertainment Weekly

Forbes Review: "Excellent comparison shopping technology. Choose a product category, like cordless phones, and a long list of different models emerges. Make a few selections and then hit “compare.” The products are lined up side by side, offering a clear breakdown of price and features....Every product category is enhanced with clicks like auctions, buying guides, consumer reviews and numerous search breakdowns." (Forbes--click here for full review)

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Forbes Review: "Pricescan searches thousands of merchants but it ends up being a great comparison-shopping site buried in a boring home page. Navigating the site can take lots of clicking through screens, but you'll be rewarded with great prices on computers and electronics... If you use another comparsion-shopping site to research a product, double-check your results here."(Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings

Dell
www.dell.com

 Special Offers from Dell Home Systems

EW Review: "Some of the best deals on computers--Dell, Micron, Gateway--aren't found in stores; you have to call toll-free numbers or order online. The Dell Store, for example, lets you get down to the nitty-gritty fast; just select what you want--processor, RAM, hard drive, peripherals, software bundles--and hit "Update Price." Too much money? Select lesser components and try it again. B+"

ZDNet review: "Dell.com earned a grade of A in our survey of Web site satisfaction, and it’s easy to see why. Everything about the site is geared toward helping you shop easily and maintain your system once you start using it. Express Service codes with each PC tell support reps how it’s configured, and Dell will send an e-mail to you when new drivers or updates become available.

"B+" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

ZDNet Top 100 Websites 4-26-00

MacMall
www.macmall.com

EW Review: "Mac shoppers are a proud and distinct breed, and they certainly don't want to see PC hardware/software in their hit list when searching for products. This site passes the please-show-only-Mac-stuff test, shows Price Drops and Top Sellers, and offers side-by-side feature charts. Best of all: The Memory Configurator wizard helps you find the exact memory upgrade for your computer, notebook, or digital camera--saving you phone calls, treks through your files, and a lot of head scratching. B+"

"B+" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

ZDNet Review: "NexTag.com is a fascinating site, a pure exchange that lets buyers bid the amounts they want to pay to several sellers in all sorts of product categories, then sit back and watch as the sellers instantly offer their best prices. Like a stock market, the site has fascinating demand graphs and price trend charts to see how much you should be paying for any given item at any given moment. It’s a great way to shop for something when you know exactly what you want, right down to the model number."

Forbes Review: "Forget Ebay. If you want to haggle for computers and electronics, name your price at Nextag.com. The site offers all types of other products—books, jewelry, music—but its the computers, electronics and software entries that are most popular. Users can either browse product listings or tailor a search for exactly what they want. Once users find the product they want they then name their price and submit it to the selling merchant, which can be a brand retailer, a small store or an individual. All the sellers' prices are listed so you can do some quick comparison shopping. A response usually comes within 48 hours. The site is also easy and free for sellers to use. Sellers can set up accounts authorizing them to use the site. It's a quick process that only requires a credit card to verify identity. And the real-time exchange allows the vendors to change their prices in an instant." (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#1 ranking in Category)

Forbes 9-11-00

ZDNet review: "As you might expect, CompUSA.com (formerly Cozone.com) is wonderfully well stocked in both the hardware and software categories. It’s easy to find your way around and is especially good for shoppers who know exactly what they’re looking for. The site provides rich technical specs for all products, and the Notebook Advisor can help you find your way around that tricky category. Custom-configured PCs are also available."

Forbes Review: "With CompUSA behind it, you have to be an idiot not to find what you want at this site. With advisors available to answer your questions even Luddites can feel comfortable searching for a computer here. If you do know what you want, you can use the site to build a computer to your specifications. While the site is powered by CompUSA there is an electronics category with an easy to search capability that provides an array of choices. Plus the site is equipped with an auction capability and a clearance site where you can find the best deals at the site." (Forbes--click here for full review)

ZDNet Top 100 Websites 4-26-00

Forbes 9-11-00

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

ZDNet review: "An Editors' Choice in our evaluation of PC shopping sites, Gateway’s Web store takes a useful step-by-step approach to guiding you toward the right system for your needs. Peripherals and software sold on the site often come with rebates, so look for the best deals you can find. You’ll also find a Technical Assistant wizard that will help you diagnose a variety of PC problems."

ZDNet Top 100 Websites 4-26-00

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99 "Editor's Choice"

ZDNet review:"ZDNet (PC Magazine’s home on the Web) underwent a redesign last October to make its many resources much more visible. The site offers a seemingly endless supply of breaking news and analysis, along with product and game reviews (with links to current prices). The huge Software Library continues to add dozens of downloads each day. At the relaunched SmartPlanet.com, you can choose from among 350 computing courses, and the recently added Updates.com lets you get automatic notification when the software you use needs a bug fix or upgrade."

Forbes Review: "Sure Simon is a silly cartoon, but you should surf as Simon says. MySimon is a serious comparsion-shopping site, loaded with bells and whistles. Shoppers can sort results, view price history charts, and receive notification on product price changes. If you request help, you'll get a visit from Flyswat, a Tinker Bell-like shopping assistant (available for Internet Explorer on the PC only).According to the Nielsen Net-Ratings, this was the most visited comparison-shopping site during the 1999 holiday season. It's so good that the owners of our top site, CNET, took notice and recently agreed to acquire MySimon for approximately $700 million in stock. (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#6 ranking in Category)

Other Sites
Capsules/Description

Link to Reviews

"The clean, easy-to-use site called 20-20consumer.com has been taken over by ShopNow. Unfortunately, ShopNow has made it a bit more gimmicky and a lot less useful. Ads and Free Offers litter the site.... No product information is given. The one thing that it does offer however, is a price search engine, which comes up with a large list of products sorted by price and merchant." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"CDW is the 15-year-old company that is the top authorized direct source of Compaq, Computer Associates, IBM, Microsoft, Toshiba and other top name brands. In addition, the site has a diversity of other electronics products.... Searching by brands gets you the quickest results if you know what brand you're most interested in. But you have to press on after they offer you the three specials of each brand before you get to a comprehensive list." (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

"For $49.95 a year, ClubComputer.com promises members up to 43% off the retail price on all sorts of computer systems, software and peripherals. The prices appear low, but the search function is weak. Results cannot be sorted, and none of the products come with enough pictures or much of a description" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"If you are looking to bid for computers and electronics, but scared at the size and breadth of Ebay, CNET Auctions may be for you... And you'll benefit from CNET great layout and navigation with links to reviews and retail pricing" (Forbes--click here for full review)

refurbished Compaq computers

"Using the excellent navigational tools on CNET Computers.com, in only two clicks you can get a description with a picture and a number rating of any computer, such as an Apple PowerMac G4. Another click and you'll get the lowest prices from top online merchants" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Ads-galore at Computer Shopper's site. Hard to tell where to begin your shopping. One wrong click and you're shot into a new window and page... Once you wade through the poorly designed categories, the results are worth the wait" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Use EzSearch to find products: The results of the search appear in a long list, sorted by relevance of the search. Users may however, have to scroll through a long list if they don't have a manufacturer part number or UPC code... It's all very time consuming." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"The searches can be tricky to conduct and the site's charts are too big for many monitors, making them awkward at best. Plus the font used is way too small. However, Ecost.com can be a good site to shop at. The search will eventually work for you and the products have big pictures, descriptions, and technical specs." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"The site offers you the option of both browsing and bidding for computers and electronics equipment. But mostly the site comes across as a billboard for brand name companies" (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for comparison of "Big Six" Shopping Sites in PC Magazine 10-29-99

"This site is a good primer for first-time Web shoppers. Esmarts is a Web resource that will serve all of your Web-based comparative shopping needs by sending you to the correct Web site.... completely up-to-date, so some of its links are useless." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"This site is useless compared to the other sites out there. It's only a portal, thereby only giving you links to other sites.... Pathetic." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"This extensive site offers more than 40,000 products from more than 1,100 manufacturers. Search by product category or by vendor. Also has an order tracking function." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Unless you have a gigantic monitor, the small font used by Insight makes the page very hard to read....The search doesn't come close to delivering the desired products" (Forbes--click here for full review)

J&R Music World and Computer World
www.jandr.com

"Dripping with computer and electronic gear. One major reason J&R has built a good reputation is because of its inventory. It's well stocked. Lately the site has really improved its navigation and search function. " (Forbes--click here for full review)

Forbes 9-11-00

"If you are looking for a 24-Port Ethernet LAN Switch, this is your site. Mcglen bills itself as the leading online market for IT professionals. Pay attention to the professional part.... search results can be intimidating if you can't figure out how to use the search filter...The Memory Zone makes upgrades easy." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"With a homepage so cluttered that it will make your head spin, NECXdirect is best known for its large selection of computer-related products and its excellent reputation among online shoppers... The PowerSearch is very efficient and results come categorized" (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

"PC Connection is the one site that clearly lets the user know where to look for either PCs or Apples. Product information is thorough and written in easily accessible, non-techie language. The product selection is huge and the site is simple to navigate." (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for full review in PC Magazine 8-5-99

" I strongly recommend using the category list to find any product on this site. The category list is more accurate and helps guide you to your desired product. The results are more accurate, but are riddled with confusing legends. Price.com offers a nice product picture and occasional reviews on each product" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"This site is unattractive and difficult to navigate... Best to avoid this site. (Forbes--click here for full review)

click here for Forbes Reader ratings (#6 ranking in Category)

"RoboShopper is a nice and simple comparison shopping site with an easy-on-the-eyes homepage. You can do a single search through the inventories of a small number of competitive online merchants." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"To encourage browsing and shopping through their site, AltaVista has developed a point system which awards points when you buy at a number of merchants through the Shopping.com site...The site offers links to many merchants and allow you to compare prices and the specs on many different computer and electronic products" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"StreetPrices is more than a little confusing. There is so much to click on. Once you perform a search the data retrieved is displayed in a list and in tabular form, but it seems like there's a missing step where you narrow your search." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"TheView has reviews of the lastest hardware and computer peripherals available.... After performing a search on a product the site returns items that are mostly accessories for the product you want. This makes it tricky to find the product you wanted the price quote on. Overall, this site is hard to navigate and does little to help you find low prices." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Tweeter has a number of bricks and mortar stores that sell Audio/Video and portable electronics. Tweeter now sells its products online through Outpost.com....The FAQ section has some good questions and answers anyone buying a piece of electronic equipment should scan." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Shoppers will not be intimidated when they log on to Yahoo's shopping site. Yahoo's understandable site design makes it simple for shoppers to figure out where to click; Navigating this site via its links is easy. Unfortunately, the site fails to deliver consistent data." (Forbes--click here for full review)