Commonly I receive questions about the best place to buy technology so I thought I would share some of the top spots I use. Like most people, I love a good deal. There is just something "hunter-gatherer" about it. For any product I look at buying, I typically begin my search online just to see what others say about the products (so I know I'm getting a good product.) The best places I've found for opinions are Amazon.com for user feedback and PCWorld.com for a tech views. Once I've solidly decided on a product I usually look it up on Bizrate.com and Froogle.com to find what the going rates are currently. I might also look at Amazon.com or Overstock.

What I've found is that companies that have both a retail store and web store such as Radio Shack, Best Buy, Target and Circuit City tend to have better prices in the store than online -- not always, but often enough that it's usually worth a trip to see them. Wal-Mart recently started selling more electronics and they usually have bargain pricing on name brands. My favorite place to buy electronics is Costco though - if they carry the item, it's usually the best price around. I recently bought a new portable GPS and Costco's price was more than $100 below all the others mentioned above-so naturally, I bought more stuff there with the savings.

One other thing to keep in mind when shopping for a good deal: the return policy. Store policies can vary widely and may be too restrictive when considering implementation and shipping times, leaving you with just a few days to try it out. Always look at the store policy for returns. Circuit City and Best Buy tend to have the toughest return policies whereas the superstores like Target, Costco and Amazon tend to be more lenient. Some companies (like the major mobile phone carriers) have great "Web-Only" sales but if something goes wrong you must return them by mail and wait for the replacement which can take days or weeks, even though there might be a store just around the corner. Again, always check out the store policy and make sure the "great price" is worth the hassle if something goes wrong.

Lastly, don't forget to take advantage of the industry buying power. Many vendors (like mobile phone companies) offer real estate agent pricing on equipment and/or service contracts because agents tend to be heavy users -- all you have to do is ask. And, check into company/broker discounts with the manufacturer, which can amount to quite a savings, and also offer some clout should you need to escalate a situation. There is nothing worse than spending the time to get a great deal only to learn that your company offered a better deal.

Once you get the hang of looking for the best deal, you'll be able to narrow it down to just two or three places to shop, making it even easier. Happy shopping.

Have you had an over-the-top buying experience with a vendor you'd like to share? I'd love to hear it...be sure to add your comment below.