Shoppers were rating prices low on the list of items of importance in making a buy. But with the economy looking shaky and corporations laying off people right and left, price is once again a top factor.

   Competition-based pricing is easily implemented on the internet. Ask the big name online stores how they determine the price of goods sold. Amazon.com, CDNOW and a number of other online stores have changed the face of today's internet merchants. You now must deal with these big companies and their affiliates who sell their products at a reduced cost.

   Don't get left behind, give up, and say I can't compete with these companies and their affiliates. There are websites that do some valuable work for you. These sites scour the internet for the best prices and tell you what online stores have the best prices. Now there isn't an excuse for not knowing what your competition is doing. This technology is forcing the big internet merchants to change the way it does business. You may find that you're torn between the time it takes to research your competition and the gains or losses of lowering your prices. This relatively new method of checking up on your competition gives you the feeling that something is now in your control.

   This is an opportunity to grow your business personally and professionally. People will buy from you because of your honesty and competitive prices. Once you've captured your customers, invite them to join your mailing list which will make it easier for them to find great prices since you will update them when you have specials or new products to offer. You may also want to use this list to hold a contest or to announce other benefits such as a frequent buyer program.

You are now in a position to exceed your customers expectations.

   Place one of these search features on your site and invite your customers to shop for a better price. Some will think that you're crazy but when they see you've done your homework, how can they not buy. What you can do is, perform your search every morning and the change you make to your prices will depend on the results of the search results. If you can't beat your competitors with the cost of the product, try lowering your shipping charges or offering a discount on other purchases.

People want the best price and that will never change.

   Here are the secret shopper sites. You should also add your website to these sites who do price checking among online stores. When a person searches for a price on a product, your company will show up in the list of available stores.

• Bottom Dollar
• mySimon
• ShopFind
• WebMarket
• Internet Shopper
• ZDnet Computer Shopper.com
• CNET's Shopper.com
• Compareitall
• Roboshopper

   Unfortunately most of the websites listed above quote prices only in USD therefore you would have to convert them into your own currency. This site provides you with an easy to use and free handy currency converter.

   One note of caution - Do not price yourself into bankruptcy. Make sure you can make up your competition-based prices in other ways such as volume, low shipping charges or repeat customers.

   Being flexible will help you take advantage of the opportunities of the many ways to attract customers through the intenet. This is one of those ways.

Quick Start - Bottom Dollar Shopping Agent
Search the Web For The Best Prices!