You may be new to the online shopping craze but it has been with us for about a decade now. It used to be that online shopping was just all about convenience and easy access. Now with the winds of change brought about by this current financial crisis of 2008 economic concerns are driving sales and now it has become about saving money. As we move ever closer to "Black Friday" and beyond, concerns about recession will begin to take their toll. The days of easy credit and free wheel spending are no longer present like they used to be. To be able to meet numbers more and more retailers are suggesting that their loyal shoppers go to their Web portals to do their on line gift shopping. There is a price tag on that loyalty so they are offering promises of discounts and special - online only deals.

The stigma of shopping at online malls is a thing of the past. Gas prices and the convenience of shopping at work to save time is now the common reason cited for the movement away from brick and mortar. Not to mention you are avoiding the horrendous holiday shopping frenzy at crowded malls. If you are new to online shopping then the word for the day is to work to research and find the best offers. So you need to know what is out there before you make your decision. So before you just start Googling all kinds of items and then jump at the first deal, here is an online shopping 3 point guide to keep in your mind:

1. WHEN & WHERE TO BUY - What type of stores you frequent when you go to the brick and morter stores? This will give you a feel for what you are looking for. Think of the clothing or handbag brands that you appreciate and then head on over to Shopping.com to begin your research. If it is toys you want go over to Amazon and look at their hottest toys. If you are still going to shop Sears and Target, see what deals they have. Once upon a time they offered discounts for shopping on line, now the opposite may be true as the crowds dwindle at the brick and mortar, they may want reward you for coming in, so find out. Compare, Compare, Compare

When you notice your local brick-and-mortar stores start to advertise their Day after Thanksgiving or "Black Friday" deals in your paper you should start your Google campaign. Begin looking for deals as the days march down to Thanksgiving. You want to look at places like Amazon.com. Buy.com and Overstock.com. These online shopping companies aggressively begin setting out deals that are trying to beat the offers of physical stores.

2. GET IN ON THE DEAL - Check out sites like CyberMonday.com, Dealnews.com, or Shop.org. They are specialized sites that offer online shopping information and guides for getting the best discounts on Black Friday and beyond towards Christmas.

Shopping portals such as Market America that have thousands or top brand retailers at one site. Many of these portals will offer you savings for shopping there. As technology gets more savvy they can also offer a single check out option for all your purchases across multiple stores. So you can shop at Sears, Walmart, Target and Neman Marcus all at one place.

3. ONLINE-ONLY STORES - It is important to note that you should always check exclusive online retailers like Overstock.com, Amazon.com and Buy.com. They don't have the same overhead as a chain with lots of overhead in the physical building. So often these online dealers can offer better and cheaper prices for the same or similar products. Also check out new sites like SmartBargains.com or 6pm.com, for fashion or NewEgg.com for electronic. There is lots to choose from this year.

One final tip is to just be cautious and protect yourself. It is worthwhile, if you are leery to stop by bbb.org, the Better Business Bureau website. There you are able to check on many retailers and you can see what their satisfaction rating is. No complaints then they could be a good deal, but they could also be too new on the scene so tread lightly at new shopping portals. If you are new to online shopping it is better to stick with sites have been around for a few years.

So check your budget, get your credit card out and start googling. It is easy to get carried away with online sales and to max out your card, so stick to a list and a budget. It is easy to be tempted by all the shiny items before your eyes.