ONLINE SHOPPERS TYPICALLY

feel that it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to buying gadgets online.

One way consumers protect themselves is to stick with the names they know. That's one of the reasons why the online stores of well-known retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City, Apple and Dell are among the top destinations for web shoppers.

But when shopping for bargain basement deals, those "safe" bets may not be the best bets. In fact, there are a handful of little-known sites including Newegg.com, TigerDirect.com and ZipZoomFly.com that are not only safe, but can also save you more money than even the most popular discount retailers.

Newegg.com : Funny name, great prices. This independent e-commerce site sells almost everything in the gadget universe, including digital photo frames, videogames and consoles, digital cameras, cellphones (and voice plans), laptops and TVs and that's just to name a few. In our spot test (see table), we found that Newegg.com returned the best deals on the most consistent basis. And those who live outside of California, New Jersey and Tennessee won't even have to pay sales tax. The company's return policy isn't too shabby, either. Returns can be made for a refund within 30 days of purchase on most items (you'll have to pay a 15% re-stocking fee). If you return a product within 30 days to a year, you can get a replacement, depending on the item.

TigerDirect.com : This subsidiary of Systemax, a $1.5 billion direct marketer of electronics and industrial goods, is the place to go for computer hardware. It has a huge selection of PC products (50,000, according to the company's site). Not only that, but you can also find other electronics such as TVs and MP3 players at a fairly nice discount. Sales tax is only charged on orders shipped to Florida, Illinois and North Carolina, and if you return your gadget within 30 days after buying it, you can get it replaced or repaired. Sorry, no refunds.

ZipZoomFly.com : Founded in 1999, this independent electronics e-tailer doesn't have as wide of a selection as TigerDirect.com or the same number of deals that Newegg.com does, but the site is still worth a pit-stop when you're hunting for gadgets. That's because you can occasionally beat the Amazon.coms and Best Buys of the world on price. Another bonus: Only Californians have to pay sales tax. You should be able to return most items within 30 days of the shipping date, but you'll have to pay a 15% re-stocking fee. Also, there are no exchanges.

Gauging the Gadget Sites

Before you start shopping, make sure to clear your computer of so-called cookies. These electronic tags identify your computer to the retailer as a previous shopper and can actually affect the prices they quote you. (To get rid of your cookies, go to the tools option on your browser and you should be able to delete them from there.) Once you've done that, you're ready to go.

Here's a sample of the kinds of deals you might find: