LiveWorld Transcripts

American Express presents

Frank Fiore, Resident Shopping Expert from about.com
Shopping Online

December 7, 1999

American Express Blue presents Frank Fiore, resident shopping expert from about.com who discusses online shopping, gifts, e-Commerce, the internet, and online auctions.

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AmericanExpress: Welcome to another of an ongoing series of Blue from American Express chats! Tonight's chat will help you gear up and get ready for doing your holiday shopping online. We'll help you find the sites that have the gifts and deals you're looking for. Our special chat host is Frank Fiore, resident shopping expert from about.com. Welcome, Frank!

Wess: Where can I find unique and different gifts?

Frank Fiore: First of all, how about a personalized customized love song from www.giftsongs.com/. They will write a customized song for you. www.spystuff.com is another site for people who like to play James Bond. There's www2.moletown.com/store/ where you will find movie memorabilia. How about some stocking stuffers at www.fridgedoor.com - they sell magnets and all types of things. These are very unique gifts. For the educated giftee, there is shop.pbs.org/ where you can buy all the movies, documentaries, and concerts that you see on PBS.

Harris: Where can I purchase gift certificates?

Frank Fiore: The first place you want to try is www.webcertificate.com. What's good about this is that you can use this anyplace on the web, wherever credit cards are accepted. Another one just like that is called Flooz , which can be found at www.flooz.com. If you want gift certificates from brand names stores, like Spiegel, Blockbuster, Borders, etc., you would go to www.giftpoint.com.

FintanMalone: What is the most efficient way to search for a specific item, brand or store online?

Frank Fiore: I like to use the shopping bots, otherwise known as the comparison shopping engines. One of the best ones out there is www.mysimon.com. If you know the product you want, you can search through thousands of merchants to get the best price. They also have gift guides, and they currently have a holiday gift guide. So if you don't know exactly what you want, you can find it in the gift guide and they will help you find it at the best price, and you can buy it off their site. Of course, I also suggest my site onlineshopping.about.com. I have links to shopping sites all around the web.

Bettyann: I have a 14-year-old boy to shop for, what types of sites would I find interesting ?

Frank Fiore: Why not have your teenager shop for himself at these kidsafe sites. You give them a credit line on your credit credit card, and they shop at a kids safe mall at these 3 places, www.rocketcash.com, www.icanbuy.com, and www.doughnet.com./ These are all set up specifically for kids to shop when adults have given them their credit cards.

Angel^Wings: Most places will not allow billing to a credit card and shipping to an alternate address. Will allowances be made because of the holiday season?

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