Cyber Monday: Five Tips to Get the Best Deal

Black Friday 2010 is over, and while PayPal is reporting that shoppers were using the online payment service 27% more than last Black Friday, we still expect to see many Cyber Monday deals on all types of items from electronics to high-end clothing.

In order to score the best deals on Cyber Monday 2010, we've come up with five tips to help you get the best deal so that you can finish up your holiday shopping early:

1. Shop Early -- Just like Black Friday started in early November and went big before the turkeys were finished cooking on Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday will arrive early. We've already heard from several online-only retailers that are offering Cyber Monday deals on Sunday.

2. Compare Prices -- As with any shopping "event" there are some great deals, and some not so great deals. Be sure to compare the prices of Cyber Monday sales with other stores using a tool like PriceGrabber or Google Products. While you're at it, use a tool like the Invisible Hand browser plugin to compare prices while you're shopping.

3. Do Your Research -- The best way to tell if an online product is a good deal these days is to look for reviews. We recommend looking at a mix of professional reviews and user reviews. The reviews on the product pages at most stores can be sorted by most favorable, most critical and most helpful. If you read the top three in each category, you should get a good feel for the quality of the product.

4. Shop Safely -- Even though you need to move fast when you see a good deal, make sure you don't end up shopping at a fraudulent website. These Top 10 Cyber Monday Tips for Online Safety from our own Consumer Ally will keep you safe and help you get the best deal on Cyber Monday.

5. Grab the Coupons -- The best deals on Cyber Monday will be in combination with coupons. RetailMeNot has a huge collection of Cyber Monday coupons you can search for, as does Coupon Sherpa. You can sign up for the Savings.com Cyber Monday newsletter and get the coupons emailed right to you. Also be sure to look at the newsletters from favorites like Newegg, which is known for emailing exclusive savings only to subscribers.

Bonus: Buy Fast on Cyber Monday -- While you need to do your research, keep in mind that the hottest Cyber Monday deals can sell out in minutes. If you see a deal you want, we suggest that you add the item to your cart, then quickly do your research. It also helps if you can buy from established online retailers such as Amazon.com, that offers a generous 30-day return policy on HDTVs and friendly returns on other items.

Want to know more? Check out WalletPop's Cyber Monday 2010 Predictions and be sure to read up on our holiday shopping articles.