Use price-match policies to your advantage

Consumer Reports News: December 28, 2009 03:57 PM

I bought several electronics items as gifts within the past few weeks, as I'm sure many of you did. Today, I just saved $10 on one of them. Here's how.

I purchased a wireless router at Best Buy on Christmas Eve, and confirmed that it falls under the Best Buy price-match policy (which differs for retail stores and the company's Web site, by the way). If I find the same product at a lower price within the exchange and return period, either at the Best Buy Web site or a qualified local retailer, they'll refund the difference. The time period varies by product, so make sure you're still within the allotted time.

Today, I found the same router on BestBuy.com is selling for $10 less than I paid in the store. I'll stop by the store with my original receipt and a copy of the Web page today or tomorrow, while the sale price is still in effect; otherwise I'm out of luck. While $10 is not a lot of money these days, it'll pay for lunch or a new CD or a movie ticket.

You could be looking at much bigger savings on pricier items, so take a minute to see what they're selling for now at the store you patronized and its Web site, as well as major competitors in the area. And make sure you don't toss those receipts. They could be worth a few bucks.

—Eileen McCooey