Need a book? The old way to buy it would be to go to a brick and mortars shop. But the new and improved way to buy that same book is to visit Amazon.com, one of today’s largest online retailers. In fact, Amazon.com is not only one of the most popular websites of the Internet, but it is also the place to go to shop and check out user reviews.

Amazon.com began selling books and quickly expanded to include much, much more from electronics, kitchen appliances, toiletries and even clothing. By its own admission, “Amazon.com strives to be Earth's most customer-centric company where people can find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online.”

With all Amazon.com has to offer, though, how do you wade through thousands and thousands of items, and online no less? And how do you determine whether or not you are getting the best deal? Thankfully, Amazon.com provides many ways for you to truly save money and get a deal, which I’ll discuss here.

So, you’re looking for a digital camera and you’re overwhelmed with the various options and models. A good starting point to narrow your choice is your favorite search engine where you can look for a buying guide. After you have an idea of what you want to buy, go back to your search engine (I use Google) and enter "model name + review." Read a few independent reviews about the model you've selected and find out what other people are saying. What are the system's pros and cons? And, of course, Amazon.com has a very large and active user community where you can check out user reviews and ratings directly on their site.

To also help you narrow down your choices, you can go to the appropriate Featured Store directly on Amazon.com, e.g. Electronics, and look up the “Top Sellers” for the particular product you’re interested in. Amazon.com also provides a page with “Today’s Deals” and “Outlet, Used & Refurbished” where you can often find great deals. And to ensure you’re getting the best price, make sure to check the many coupon / deal sites which will help you stack coupons and apply rebates.

And here are some other easy ways to save when shopping on Amazon.com:

Don’t forget to take advantage of Amazon.com’s standard offer of free shipping for applicable orders over $25. Does your purchase total $24.99? No worries, add some paperclips or sticky pads for a dollar or two and you’re set.

Amazon.com also routinely offers coupon codes, like $25 off your purchase of $125 or more, or 5% off up to $100 on various purchases. When you are shopping on Amazon.com, make sure to scroll down and read the entire product page, as the coupon codes are often listed some where on the page.

Amazon.com also offers a “Buy both and save” option on many complementary products. Not only does this option save you money on two products, but it almost always brings your total to at least $25, qualifying you for free shipping, and/or also reaches a coupon threshold so you can save even more! Look for this option on the product page, right under the product price and picture.

And as I stated above, deal sites can be an invaluable resource for identifying rebates and even free with purchase offers that are often too good to pass up.

So let's recap:

1. Amazon.com offers thousands and thousands of products.

2. Research the right model and options for YOUR needs. Use a buying guide.

3. Search for a review of the model you selected on a search engine or Amazon.com. Use "model name" + "review."

4. Find a good coupon / deal site to check for rebates, free with purchase offers and coupons.

5. Go to Amazon.com, select your model and double check for Amazon.com-specific coupons, free shipping and other options like “buy both and save.”

6. Apply your coupon at checkout.

7. Use the lowest priced shipping.

Pat yourself on the back, because you have now saved BIG!