The Internet is arguably the most powerful tools for electronics bargain hunting there is. It is only natural, then, that you'll spend a good portion of your searching online.
Your first stop is at least two of the major price comparison sites. Typically, you can either type in a specific brand or model (if you already know exactly what you want) or browse by product type. This should give you a price range from dozens of retailers and outlets, small and large. That's a good start, as you now have a reference point.
However, don't make the mistake of just clicking the lowest price and make your purchase. Some of the smaller retailers stay in business by offering products at blowout prices, only to jack up the shipping and handling costs to absurd levels. Saving of $100 on a desktop computer doesn't feel quite as slick when you receive the package and realize you just paid $150 for shipping and handling. Sure, you can return the product for a refund, but that's when you notice the fine print that says shipping and handling is non-refundable. Gotcha!
Still, the list of online merchants is worth browsing. Make a note of the merchant name, URL, price and shipping cost of the 5 cheapest retailers. Next, surf over to the web pages for the main brick-and-mortar stores in your neighborhood. Sometimes, these are not included in the comparison shopping site list, so it's wise to check their prices too. They may have online specials, they may have online discount coupons to print, or they may simply be cheaper overall if you pick it up in person from a store.
Lastly, consider an auction site. The downside is uncertainty; some sellers are dishonest, and you never know at what price the auction will end so you could wait a week only to have the item be priced out of your range in the last 5 minutes. On the upside, you can score incredible bargains if none of the professional eBayers notice the listing. One common way to achieve this is to browse rather than do a straight search. Many small businesses are sloppy and misspell the product name. For example, a "Pamasonic DVDplayer XR450" will not show up on a search, but you recognize the name and, after verifying it is indeed what you're looking for, you can place a bid.
If you go the auction route, make sure to check the shipping price. Also, don't do high-value business with newcomers. Scammers don't last long, while veteran sellers take great care in maintaining their good reputation. The one caveat here is not to let your adrenaline get you pulled into stupid bidding wars. This is where your original price comparison sheet comes in handy - as soon as the auction comes within striking range of the prices of regular online merchants, bow out.
If you go with an online merchant, skim their warranty, return policy and customer support options. You don't want to get stuck with a defective product from a company without a phone number to call and an email mailbox that doesn't work!
Lastly, if you have a local store carrying the product for slightly more than an online merchant, you can always try to haggle. Print a few screenshots with the online price and show it to the store owner. Tell him that you'd rather buy locally and support his store (and save on shipping, but you don't have to tell him that), so if he could just match the online price...
Unless it's a Wal-Mart sized store, odds are good the manager will rather make a slim profit than none at all.
