I’m Backwards, I know! #Giveaway


First I want to mention that this post is sponsored by ConsumerCrew, opinions on the service are my own though.  They also have been kind enough to offer my readers a $50 gift card to Best Buy!  Simply leave a comment about a purchase that you researched FOREVER to be entered, for an extra entry you may “like” the post (please leave a separate comment stating that you have “liked” the post).  Entries will be accepted until Saturday June 28th at 8 PM MST, limit two entries per person.  Good luck!

I know what you’ve been dying to hear though… why is Sarah backwards?  Here is what I do.  I’m at say Target or Barnes and Noble or some other place, and something strikes my fancy.  I look at the other items that are similar and decide on this impulse purchase.  I will say this does happen most often with books at Barnes and Noble.  After I get home, I get online, usually to amazon.com and read all the reviews on the purchase that I JUST MADE!  Sometimes it reinforces that I purchased the right thing.  Sometimes I find out that the entire world (at least the entire world on Amazon) hates the product I just bought!  How much headache can I save if I just do the research first instead?  Probably several headaches.

Enter ConsumerCrew.  What is great about this service is that it will do all the leg work for you.  The one time I actually did my research prior to my purchase was for a new slow cooker.  I researched and researched and researched to find the absolute best one for my needs.  This one had a meat thermometer, but this one has a timer setting for it to start while you are at work.  I literally spent hours one morning figuring out which one I wanted.  Then, once I figured out the exact slow cooker that would make me happy, I had to find which stores near me 1) had it in stock and 2) had the best price for it.

I don’t know about you, but my time is worth a whole lot more than $5/hr.  This service is $5/month or $30 for the whole year.  This will give you UNLIMITED products to request.  Here is how it works.  You send them an email about a product that you are looking to buy.  In my case, it was a slow cooker.  You would tell them what features you think are important in that product.  Next they will do all of the research for you, by comparing several professional reviews.  They will also get to work on finding where you can get it for the cheapest price.  Instead of the 4 hours I spent doing the same thing, I could have been doing ANYTHING else.  I think I could pay about one dollar every week for someone else to do the hard work for me.

So goodbye to my trusty Amazon reviews, and hello ConsumerCrew.  Now, if only I could get them to read my mind to tell me what I’m going to impulsively buy prior to researching that would be fantastic.


This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using the links.

Comments

comments

About the author

Sarah Werle Kimmel

Sarah Werle Kimmel is a digital parenting coach and family tech expert. She has spent the last 20 years of her career working as a Microsoft Certified IT Manager supporting over 100 small businesses. During that time she started Family Tech LLC to help families understand and manage the technology in their home. She has regularly appeared as a family tech expert on local NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX news affiliates, BYUtv and Studio 5, and has been invited all over the world from tech companies like Lenovo, Verizon, Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung. Find out more on her website SarahKimmel.com

25 Comments

Click here to post a comment
  • I have been researching a video camera forever and still have no found to right one for me. =(

  • I would have to say my digital camera..I had a Kodak for the longest time, did some research and I now have my Sony…other things that I researched for a really long time were many baby items before my babies were born.

  • I have been researching for a new laptop, still haven’t found what I am looking for!

  • I could have used it this week. I was deciding between a Vitamix and a BlendTec. And then between different models of the BlendTec.

  • I researched about what digital camera to buy. I have been happy with my Canon.

  • I researched computers quite a bit before I bought mine. I think I made a good choice! 🙂

  • I researched cameras forever. I was torn between Canon and Nikon. My Dad has a really nice Canon and I liked his a lot but a bunch of the stuff I was reading said that likely the most critical part of a camera is the lens, and Nikon is a lens company that happens to make cameras while Canon is a camera company that happens to make lenses. Anyways I went with the Nikon D90 🙂

  • Interesting service. I think I might be too compulsive and OCD to give up new product research though 🙂 but agree it’s well priced. TVs and cameras tie for taking forever to research – maybe some help in that area would be a good thing.

  • I have researched plane tickets to CHILE next yr for my mission reunion!! My husband is always researching and searching for the perfect watch!!

  • I researched and researched the bread machine that I wanted. I bought that great bread machine. The bread machine did not function properly. I returned the bread machine. I decided I didn’t need that bread machine afterall.

  • I researched a tablet for **at least** 10 months, and have finally found the tablet I wanted – the HTC Flyer; but, who knows? I may need do keep researching … I love doing research, almost as much as I do purchasing!