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As I learn more about online shopping I’m getting more enthused about my Power Mall. (Taking time to research something online is a very smart idea!) This week I have actually looked at those online stores in My Power Mall more closely and checked out what a few items I would like might cost.

For instance, I re-ink my printer’s cartridges myself, but even so, I seem to use them up eventually and have to buy more cartridges. It used to be that they cost about $30 each in our city, which drove me to check online and discover re-inking in the first place. Now the price has come down to about $20 for a black ink cartridge, and about $26 for a tri-coloured one for my HP three-in-one.

But when I went to check for prices through MyPowerMall, I discovered almost immediately a new store I’d never seen before which is offering my brand of cartridges for $17.95.

How? I just went to MyPowerMall and clicked on “the mall” on the row of links across the top, then down the left side I went to “computers/Electronics, and clicked on the tiny white triangle beside it. A sub-menu appeared with “computers HW peripherals” (meaning the hardware stuff related to computers) as the top choice. I clicked on that, and the first store button/graphic was for All-ink.com So I clicked on that. I see they offer a 2 year guarantee and free shipping. Hmm!

A few more clicks to find my model number, and look! It is only $17.95, with a bright notice on the right column that I can have an instant saving of $10 off today. What? That means I can get this cartridge for 7.95 and pay no shipping!? Whoa, have I got enough money to buy several at this price?

But then I do a bit more browsing and find that the $10.00 off means I must join the supersaver club and pay 8.95 a month. It gives me a 35% discount at this store. Also that the free shipping is for orders over $40. Shipping on anything less is $4.95. - Okay, I can’t afford to spend the $40 today, but I am expecting a ship to come in next week, so I’ll put it off for now.

Besides, I should shop around some more and see if there is another better deal somewhere. If one online store does this, there’s bound to be others. So I vote against an impulse purchase, but am now more open to doing more comparison shopping.

The best news for you, if you’re too cautious to sign up for a FR e E PowerMall is that you can do this comparison shopping from my Mall without having to log in at all. Browse all you like, (and even shop if you like - just note that I’ll get the rebates instead of you!)

Oh yes, didn’t I mention that? If you accept a PowerMall, you get a rebate on everything you buy. The percentage varies from one shop to another, but the stores often give you good deals for shopping online, and then the Mall re-imburses you the related rebates afterwards. You save twice!

It’s getting to be more and more foolish to ignore this, isn’t it?