A (hopefully) helpful note about deal sites UPDATE

While cruising around the Web, I have noticed a few folks having trouble with daily deal sites. Here's the thing you have to remember about how they work: you're buying a voucher, not an item. It's the same concept as when you buy a Wal-Mart gift card. You don't get any actual merchandise until you go to Wal-Mart and buy stuff with the card. Deal sites operate the same way. So, for instance, today you can get the $12 voucher for nail polish strips from SaveMore for only $6. Many people are buying this because it's free when you sign up for their website. (You get a $10 credit for signing up, so you use that credit to buy the deal).

After you buy a voucher from SaveMore, you'll have to wait a until the deal ends to receive the voucher. IT DOESN'T COME RIGHT AWAY. Once you receive it (by email), you can go to the vendor's website, do your shopping, then redeem it at checkout. Some vouchers come with free shipping; others do not. The nail art deal for today, for example, includes shipping. If you don't complete this last step of going to the vendor website and buying your stuff, you won't get anything. Most deal sites operate in this manner.

If you're worried about whether or not you can trust a deal site or vendor site, you can always look them up on the BBB, although they might be on there, or they might not; if they're newer, they probably won't be. You can also try googling the business's or website's name. See if you can read some customer reviews and find out what others are saying. And if you're concerned about whether or not a connection is secure, look at the address. Secure addresses usually begin with 'https' instead of 'http'. You might also see a little lock somewhere on your browser that will indicate whether a connection is secure.

If you're new to deal sites and want to try one out, you can try the SaveMore nail art deal today. Use this link to sign up and get your $10 credit. Buy the deal. Even though it's free, you'll need a credit card, but you won't be charged (how do I know? I love SaveMore and I buy stuff from them). In a couple of days, you'll get your voucher. Go to the vendor's website. Purchase your stuff. Enjoy!

The nail art deal is now expired :( Be sure to check back for more awesome deals!