The number of stores on the internet boggles the mind. These stores. sell blue widgets, red widgets, rainbow colored widgets, discounted widgets, knock-off widgets and even melamine plates. Each and every store strives to get your attention. Imagine a classroom full of first-graders who all the know the answer, their hands are held up high - pick me! Pick me!

Several years ago, I developed an obsession with French Bull plates (please note gorgeous photo!)

If you google my favorite patio plates your first chance to buy will be through a sponsored link - at the top of the page - i.e. the store owner has paid Google for placement. Over to the right, you'll see additional sponsored links. Each and every time a shopper clicks on one of links Google makes money. It's why Google enjoyed revenues of nearly $7 billion in the first quarter of this year.

All those stores (still thinking Pick me!?) want your business and they're willing to pay Google to get it. They're also willing to pay bloggers and even other stores to help catch your attention. They do this by paying for affiliated marketing. This is good to know. You can use this to your advantage.

How? Because there are sites out there willing to share the riches!

Summer's around the corner. Need some Clarins (my favorite self tanner)? You can hop in the car, go to the mall, fight for a parking space, buy the product, and head home. Or you can go to Clarins. Oh look - they are offering free shipping right now!

But wait!!!! If you join site like BrandsClub, they will return 13% of your purchase price.

To sum up - Clarins, free shipping, cash back. How can you go wrong?

I Shop Therefore I Am

My mother is not a shopper. That's not to say she doesn't shop; she does. She decides what she needs, identifies the store most likely to have whatever it is, hops in her car, goes to said store and buys it. She does not meander through the mall. She does troll on-line sites looking for the perfect pair of purple pumps. She may have heard of e-bay, but she's certainly never stopped by for a visit.



I am a woman who knows, without doubt, I will never become my mother. I LOVE to shop. But more than that, I LOVE spending enough time shopping to get the very best price - every time. Be it shoes or hotel rooms, I search for the best deal. And, I find it.



Because I can't possibly but everything, I thought I'd share my favorite finds - today it's the 90% off sale over yoox. Don't miss it!



http://www.yoox.com/subhome.asp/dept/samplesale/gender/D/tskay/3FD17CD7/toll/P