The one I liked best, and ended up buying the DVD player through, isn't even a bot. Unlike a bot, Compare. Net is powered by humans. The service contrasts products, whereas bots compare prices, said president and co-founder Trevor Traina. He said about 25 product managers are in charge of talking to manufacturers, attending trade shows, browsing retail stores, checking out merchants' reputations and reading newsletters and trade publications.
Net also accepts e-mail from consumers who have questions or requests.
Net may not be the best place to find the cheapest book. But if you want to do some homework before spending money on a pricier item like a DVD player, try them out. In their research section, I read tips on how to buy a player, its role in a home theater, a glossary of DVD terms and magazine reviews. Then I went to the site's buying section and specified sound quality and connections, features using my newfound knowledge. I ran into a problem with many of the products listed, however.