Shopping sites: what a listing here does and does not mean

Shopping is the category where directory listings are most often misread. A listing here means we checked that the site loads, that it sells what it says it sells, and that it is not an obvious scrape of someone else's catalogue. It is not a recommendation, a safety guarantee, or a statement about price.

Before buying from a retailer you have not used, three checks take about a minute and catch most problems. Look for a returns policy that states a time limit and who pays return postage. Look for a physical address and a company registration, not just a contact form. And check that prices are within sight of the rest of the market, because a price far below everyone else is the single most reliable indicator of a site that will take your money and send nothing.

The subcategories cover auctions, books, coupons, electronics, flowers, office products and security. Coupon sites in particular deserve a warning: a large share of them exist to attach affiliate tracking to a purchase you were going to make anyway, and the codes are often expired.

We accept no payment for placement in this category and do not rank listings by commission.