Instructions/FAQ (newbies read please)

The purpose of this forum is for people to share hot deals that they find with others. It is not a personal shopper. It is not for you to come here and ask for a good deal and make others do the legwork for you. Therefore we ask that you stop posting “request” threads. All such threads will be locked from this point forward. Also it has become obvious that a request sticky doesn’t work very well, so we won’t be using that either.

If you are looking for a good deal on an item and see nothing posted on the forums, here’s what we suggest you do:

1. SEARCH the forum to make sure a hot deal isn’t already posted.
2. Use sites such as www.pricegrabber.com or www.pricewatch.com (and www.resellerratings.com) to find a good deal.
3. AFTER doing some legwork on your own, if you still aren't satisfied with the prices, come to the forums and start a thread posting a link to the best price you could find on that item, then welcome others to post better deals in your thread if they can find any.

We also ask that you stop posting “Look what I just got in the mail!” type threads. If you are excited and you want to brag about your cool new item, we suggest you do one of the following:

1. SEARCH and find the old thread that allowed you to get the cool item, and REPLY to that, bumping it to the top.
2. use this thread to brag about your new item.
3. Start a new thread, explaining to others (with links if necessary) about how to get the item, and then include your cool pics of the item.

Originally posted by SKYY
Whenever you post a [freebie item], make sure you uncheck the box by "Automatically parse URLs: automatically adds [url} and [/url] around internet addresses." so that people have to cut-and-paste the address to visit the deal's link. This is so that it doesn't appear to the site that all the deal exploiters are coming from the [H].

More specifically--so that hardforum.com isn't seen as the referrer to the deal's page.

If you don't understand, just do it anyway!!

Here is an image, showing just what to do:

Remember--if you want these deals to last longer, don't give people clickable links.

Thank you for your time.

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Abbreviations relevant to this forum: (thanks to ozzeign and others)

AC - After coupon
AR – After rebate
B&M – brick & mortar | meaning actual physical front store. So if someone says, "Circuit City has a smokin' deal on blank CDs. B&M only.” - that means that CC is only having that hot deal at their physical stores and not online at their websites.
BVG – best value guarantee | this has to do with credit card holders that can buy something and should they find the same product for cheaper within a certain time frame, the credit card company will refund the difference. This started out with American Express. They have discontinued it mostly. Other Visa and Mastercard companies have started to do it too.
CPN – Coupon
CSR – Customer service representative
FAR – free after rebate
GC – Gift certificate
IR – Instant rebate
MFG – Manufacturer
MFR – Manufacturer
MIR – Mail in rebate
MSRP – Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price
OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer
OOS – Out of stock
PM – Price match
PM – Private Message
SASE – Self addressed stamped envelope
S/H – Shipping and handling
TRU – Toys R Us
YMMV – your mileage may vary | meaning one deal that may work out in one store might not work out at another store. in other words, it just depends on how that store might decide on whether they will or won’t honor the deal.

OD = OfficeDepot
OM = OfficeMax
BB = BestBuy
CC = CircuitCity

If you order online and there's a rebate offer, what do you use as a receipt?

99% of the time one of these will be fine:
1. A print out of the confirmation page from the website
or
2. A copy of the packing slip/invoice from the package.

Check the fine print of the rebate for possible instructions, or if you are not confident, call the 1-800 number listed on the rebate for instructions.

Of course with all rebates, keep copies of EVERYTHING in case they deny it so you can contest.



As always, KingKaeru and I are here for you guys and we hope to keep the forum a pleasant/useful place for everyone. Feel free to PM us if you need to speak with us about anything.

-ScubaSteve

Originally posted by blip
Anyway, I've seen a few threads where people note that they've seen deals posted here on other deal related forums. I was thinking it would be cool if we could get a list of deal forums where people post good deals, rebates etc. together. That way we could cast our nets wide for potential cheap merchandise.

So anyone have any links? If people like this idea, maybe we could even sticky it!

Links thus far [updated Nov 12]
Slick Deals
Tweak3d
http://www.spoofee.com/
www.fatwallet.com
AnandTech
www.bargainshare.com
www.techbargains.com
www.bensbargains.net
dealnews.com
www.fatwallet.com/forums/categories.cfm?catid=18
www.rasputinj.com/
www.jumpondeals.com/
www.savinghunter.com/index.php3
www.secretcoupons.com/deals.cfm?m=1
www.slickdeals.net
www.ableshoppers.com
http://www.edealinfo.com/DDCategAll/harddrives.shtml
www.gotapex.com
http://www.xpbargains.com/sitedeal.php
everydeal.com
www.redflagdeals.com
www.pricenetwork.ca

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bump just to be safe.

I'd like to propose an idea for this sub-forum.

People who post [H]otdeals should check to see if the item they are thinking is a hotdeal is, in fact, actually, a hotdeal

Found that A8N-SLI for $179 and you think it's a great price?

check out www.pricegrabber.com or www.pricewatch.com and check.

Found that WD Raptor 74GB for $120 new : Make sure it's actually a great deal...

So.. then one may ask.> "What constitutes a great deal"

Well, in my mind, if it's $5 off a $200 item.. That's not a [h]otdeal.

So, we'll agree that [H]otness is relative (look at britney spears -- ugh..)
So, how about a general rule of thumb?

It's not hot, unless it's at LEAST 10% lower priced than anywhere else.. or $100 cheaper, whichever comes first.

So, how does this work then, in application?

Example :

an hdtv which is $3000 everywhere except for this "one store" that has it for $2975? -- NOT hot.
an hdtv which is $3000 everywhere except for this "one store" that has it for $2699? -- HOT


P4 3.6 processor for $500 everywhere and you can get it for $420.. hot.

P4 3.6 Processor for $500 everywhere, and you can get it for $489 with free shipping?
Not hot.


Now, like i said, it's subjective.. but, I think for something to be considered hot, 10% is a VERY LOW percentage.. Personally, I don't think a deal is hot unless it's 25% off.. but.. like I said, it's subjective, so I'm trying to be conservative.

Just a suggestion. Do with it what you will.

How does one go about asking for a deal? Can I post the product a long with the lowest price I found and ask for any deals on it?

yep, thats what the instructions say.

You might want to put a link to reseller ratings in there somewhere. Usually about once every two weeks theres a thread about "is XXX a good store?" I don't know of any other rating sites off hand but you should put them in too if they exist.

Best would be a list of sites [H]'ers love and live by (ZZF, Mwave, NewEgg, Monarch, SVC, etc.) but some sites might get pissed if over looked. And that would be subjective at best.

Now if only people would actually read the Stickys.

EDIT: I know reseller ratings is there, but it looks like its a "price comparison site" next to price watch and price grabber, which it is but its so much more.

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