Retail Me Not: What's Not to Like?

Everybody likes to save money, right? Yes, everyone - from the biggest penny-pinchers to the most blatant spendthrifts - loves a good deal. Especially now, during the holiday season, shoppers are looking for every coupon, rebate and discount they can get their hands on.

But, scouring for deals isn't so easy this time of year. Inclement weather, treacherous roads, understaffed stores and mobs of frantic shoppers leaves gift buyers burnt out and turned off. It's enough to make you buy all your holiday gifts at the gas station, just to avoid the hassles.

Thankfully, this modern age we live in has presented us with the ease and convenience of online shopping. No snow, no traffic, no lines and no wrestling blue hairs for the last extra-large sweater. Just you, your list and the comforts of your own home. Ain't technology grand?

The problem, however, with online shopping is that you don't always get the deals that you would've at the actual store. You never know when a certain store will offer special coupons or discounts. Plus, at some stores you can still haggle over prices. It's the best part of the shopping experience - navigating the store to find the perfect gift at the perfect price.

Not that online retailers don't offer specials and promotions of their own. It's just that those deals can be hard to find out about. Which is where Retail Me Not (www.retailmenot.com) comes in.

Retail Me Not is a Web site that collects discount and promotional coupon codes from thousands of online retailers, such as Amazon, Victoria's Secret, JCrew, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Starbucks, just to name a few. A visit to the site and you're able to search by store or genre, and, if successful, you'll be treated to discounts, free shipping and other money saving offers.

The site is functional, easy to navigate and well put together. Users submit the coupon codes and discounts, so the list is constantly updated. Since the codes are submitted, they don't always work for all users. The hit-or-miss aspect is the only drawback of the site, but a calculated "Success Rate" monitor helps alleviate the pain. The site asks users to rate the codes on whether or not they worked, helping you find the most accurate and functional codes.
A quick and easy shopping experience and great deals to boot? What's not to like about Retail Me Not? I think it's a good site and it's really beneficial to all shoppers, no matter what season it is. Being able to get great deals online takes away a lot of the pain of actual shopping. Plus, multiple users can use the same coupon codes, so you can share the deals, rather than hoarding away all your coupons.

Online shopping isn't going away, so retailers are going to have to find new ways to drive shoppers to their sites. Having an easy way to get a deal while shopping online is something all buyers will appreciate. Retail Me Not and other online coupon finders are beneficial to both shoppers and retailers. It's a trend that should (and likely will) continue in the future.