There are now a wide range of different comparison websites on the internet. They list products and services from many companies that do the same or similar things. This allows you to see all of the best offers and potential bargains on the things that you shop for online. The UK is at the centre of the price comparison website boom, and many buyers now use comparison sites for getting insurance, choosing an energy supplier or booking tickets.
But why should you trust a comparison site over a company you know, maybe one that you have used before and have built a relationship with? There are many ways that a comparison service can find a better deal for you, whatever criteria you choose to consider. We have explored a few of the benefits below.
Exploring your options
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The most of obvious benefit of using a comparison website to find something online is that it puts all of the potential options in one place. You simply choose a comparison website, enter some minor details and the site does the rest. This saves a huge amount of time that would have been spent trawling through search engine results, which may or may not display the service you are really looking for.
A good example of this is an insurance comparison website, like Compare The Market. By showing all the relevant deals from insurance providers that fulfil the cover criteria you need, you get to choose from services with the confidence that they offer what you’re looking for. Seeing details about each insurance product will also allow you to choose the most suitable options. If you are looking to pay lower insurance premiums, for instance, you can filter the deals to show the cheapest renewal quote.
One caveat to consider when conducting your search is that not all comparison websites are the same. Some use different search criteria to others on their forms and will, therefore, come up with different search results. Some businesses will only appear on specific comparison sites, while some won’t appear at all, as they may prefer to deal with customers directly. Consumer group ‘Which?’ recommends shopping around across several different comparison websites, as this will help you find the optimum deal for you. Using only one comparison site risks missing out on a deal that is listed elsewhere.
Discover new deals
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If you are an e-commerce-savvy online shopper, you know already that all the best deals can be found from the comfort of your own home on the internet. Price comparison websites take all the best bargains on the products or services you care about and put them on one page. You just have to choose the one that is right for you.
Pricing is always changing and a comparison site gives you an up-to-date overview of the market. If you enjoy online casino, for example, you may want to know where the most recent offers and odds can be found. Using an odds comparison service like Oddschecker allows you to see all the latest deals from reputable gaming services in one place. This gives you a reliable source of new bargains whenever you feel like indulging yourself. The deals are often offered only to new customers, but comparison websites mean you can swiftly find your next new source of slots hassle-free.
We all love a bargain, but make sure that you don’t get carried away when purchasing through a comparison website. Remain calm and read through the details to check what you are buying, in case there are tie-ins, optional extras and additional fields that you were unaware of. Good comparison sites will provide all of this information for your benefit and it is always best to be safe rather than sorry.
Get more for your money
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The UK is a market leader for comparison sites, and as a result there is huge competition between popular services like GoCompare, uSwitch and Confused.com to attract your business. Such a congested market means that there are more deals than ever before being listed, including offers from smaller businesses that in the past you may have overlooked. Many comparison sites now offer perks for choosing their site over another one, such as freebies and discounts, as a reward for loyalty.
However, you should not let this distract you from shopping around for the best deal. Perks are great, but finding a cheaper energy deal or hotel booking would save you a lot more than the value of a free cup of coffee. Prefer sites with user-friendly tools, positive reviews on TrustPilot and a clearly-set-out policy on the use of personal data.
User reviews give you confidence
One huge advantage of buying through a good comparison website is that they will allow you to compare reputable sellers and the customer feedback they have received. User reviews are an incredibly useful way of assessing how well the product or service on offer will suit you. It might be that like-minded shoppers have had a good experience with one listed brand, but a bad experience with another. This helps you decide which one you should go with.
Other customers are objective and can help point out flaws in a service that the seller might not want you to know about. If you were comparing flights on a site like SkyScanner, for example, you may be tempted by the cheapest airfare. But check the reviews section and responses from the business before buying on your comparison site. If a customer has complained that the service was bad or not what was advertised, you can avoid a bad experience by choosing a more reliable service.
Price comparison websites are a reliable source of great deals on the internet and a must for anyone looking to save money. Using a variety of different sites carefully can have huge benefits for those who frequently shop online.
