AltaVista indicates business ratings using a star system. More importantly, the users are directed to the merchant s site to learn how much the shipping charge is and if the item is still in stock. There was not a single product in my test that had this information on the matrix, not even the products from AltaVista s own shop. The best shopping agents often provide the shipping and handling cost, availability on stock, the merchant s phone number, and the date the information was last updated. This is particularly important to fend off the salesman s trick of telling customers that the price they saw was an expired special price.
Shopping uses unnecessary icons to identify the shops and wastes precious space.
While Bottom Dollar lists the estimated shipping costs, it puts the amount on a new line instead of adjacent to the base price, which makes the output more difficult to scan when comparing total prices. Extra Information Many shopping agents provide extra information, such as additional product information, reviews, author or artist biographies, and sample book chapters or album tracks. All these can help in your purchasing decision. Computer Shopper went a little crazy with the number of ads crammed on a screen, but it offers superb buying guides that give answers to questions that you should ask your salesman though a salesman probably would not be as accurate and objective. Excellent reviews from the ZD computer magazine empire provide essential pointers for your decision.