For Seller

By: Aijalyn Kohler

It is 5 p.m. on the eve of your anniversary and you’re still
wondering what you could give your wife besides a dozen roses
and dinner at the same restaurant you go to every year. You saw
a number of things during your lunch break, but you just
weren’t quite sure what she’d like.

We all go through it; we know almost exactly what our spouses,
friends, and family would want on that special occasion,
almost. But sometimes it seems like you walk into a store and
your mind goes blank. You become dazed as all the possibilities
flow through your mind. What to do?

You can get a better grip on the situation by becoming
organized. Note what gifts you have given in the past and how
the recipient received them. Not just what they said, but what
they did. Did your wife ever wear that green scarf? Did your
husband use his new wallet? If the answer is no, then chances
are it was not a good choice. Keeping organized will not only
help you avoid repetition, but will also give you clues as to
which gifts were a hit, and which ones flopped.

Many times clues just don’t do it, though. Imagine if you could
quickly and easily find the perfect gift, without any of the
hassle. How, you ask? Shop online. Regardless of whether you’re
searching for a personal gift for a special loved one, a
birthday gift for a friend, or a small token for an
acquaintance, the Web has the largest selection of gifts
available anywhere. From birthday gifts to baby showers and
everything in between, online gift shopping takes almost all of
the trouble out of buying that elusive perfect gift.

Many consumers are choosing to shop online. On the Internet,
there are no traffic hassles, no parking problems, and no
scheduling conflicts. Sounds perfect, right? Almost. The easy
part is finding exactly what you want at the perfect price. The
hard part is figuring out what you want.

The trick to finding the perfect gift online is pretty simple
once you get the hang of it. It’s called a wishlist.
Similar to a traditional gift registry, a wishlist is just a
list of items that someone wants. Almost all online retailers
have a wishlist feature, so if you know where that special
somebody likes to shop, finding the perfect gift is as simple
as viewing the wishlist. But what if you don’t know your
spouse’s favorite store? That’s a little more tricky, but still
doable.

As the online shopping industry continues to grow, a few sites
have sprung up on the Web, devoted to maintaining a centralized
wishlist to cater to the many people that regularly shop at
more than one online store. So rather than being limited to
purchasing that special gift from just one retailer, the entire
Web can be your shopping mall. How do you know if the intended
recipient of your gift has a wishlist? Just ask.

Gone are the days when it was taboo to discuss gift-giving.
Most people will be glad that you took the time to ask, and
were thoughtful enough to really consider their wishes, rather
than just giving another tie or dinner at the same restaurant
as last year.

Once you have found your special someone’s wishlist and
identified the perfect gift, it’s time to find the item itself.
If the wishlist is a centralized one (rather than one located
at a specific store) the product location might not be
bookmarked. A quick Internet search for the product name or
serial number should turn it up if it is a common item. If it
is something a little more unique, you may need to use a
specialized product search engine to locate it.

After you know what to buy, and have found where to buy it,
remember that a little price comparison never hurts. The rules
of smart shopping still apply, even online. Just because you
find something at a “discount store” doesn’t mean that it is
really cheaper. Also, beware of scams and spam; if a deal looks
too good to be true, it just might be. Remember, shop smartly
and safely.

The author writes for
eSassy, a Web site where
you can create and share customized wishlists and your friends
and family can view and comment on them. Visit
http://www.esassy.com if you would like to learn more about
what wishlists are, how wishlists work, or how you can use
wishlists to find the perfect gift for someone special in your
life.