A new currency is quickly gaining ground online, called Bitcoin.

A new currency is quickly gaining ground online, called Bitcoin. Bitcoins are, technically, lines of code that represent a defined value in any currency. Developed in 2008 by an anonymous software developer as a peer-to-peer (p2p) electronic cash system, the system is based on open source protocols. Rather than being controlled by a centralized agency like traditional currency, however, Bitcoins are managed by a collection of servers online and maintained through strict encryption and by the community that uses them. As a currency with a set, global value, Bitcoins offer a variety of opportunities for consumers and vendors alike. Bitcoins are “stored” in a digital wallet that allows users to track their transaction with ease.

Benefits
Bitcoins provide a secure and low-fee solution for online shopping that many vendors are beginning to favor. Due to the decentralized network that supports Bitcoins, the service offers no or low-fee transactions for shoppers and vendors. Additionally, Bitcoins are easy to protect through digital means, rather than having to worry about credit card information being stolen or physical cash being lost.

Most importantly, Bitcoin use is rapidly increasing in popularity. PayPal recently noted that it is seriously considering supporting the currency, according to The Next Web. More small businesses are accepting Bitcoins for payments because they allow them to drastically reduce the fees paid for transactions. Additionally, many big bankers are considering trading in the currency and its derivatives, adding legitimacy to the trend.

Risks
On the other hand, there are risks associated with the young currency. The value of Bitcoins is still in flux, with dramatic rises and falls in value over time. Additionally, the servers and exchanges that are managing the Bitcoin community have come under attack several times in the past by hackers. However, with more businesses and the finance community beginning to take real interest in Bitcoins, the former issue is likely to resolve, creating more balance in the Bitcoin value, and if Wall Street and big banks continue to invest in Bitcoins, the technology behind it is likely to improve.

Why is it important?
For online shoppers, the Bitcoin trend is something to consider, as it could help you save money. As more vendors begin to accept the currency its value will increase, and shoppers should get in on the trend now in order to take advantage of its rise. Regardless of whether you decide to use Bitcoin or not, saving online should always be a primary concern, and DealPly can help you save money and shop smarter.

Don’t let shipping deter you from saving more shopping online.

One of the main complaints against shopping online is shipping. Making a purchase and not being able to enjoy it immediately can be a drag, but there are so many other advantages to shopping online that make such a gripe a moot point. The primary one is finding better deals, of course.

Even when paying for shipping, doing your shopping online can help you find significant deals on the products you need, helping you save 10, 25 or even 50 percent off an item – significantly more than shipping will cost. If that doesn’t make it worth the wait, then perhaps you aren’t using the right tools to find the best deals.

DealPly helps consumers save more and shop smarter by automatically searching for the best deals, discounts and coupons on the web relevant to your shopping needs. The free browser add​-on will pop up with ads when you’re shopping and remain hidden when you’re not, streamlining the shopping experience and letting you get back to checking email, reading the news or watching YouTube videos. Don’t miss another deal or spend more for instant gratification, when DealPly can save you time and money today.

When not starring alongside Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man 3, Gwyneth Paltrow recently revealed that she loves shopping online.

When not starring alongside Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man 3, Gwyneth Paltrow recently revealed that she loves shopping online. According to Shop Safe, the award-winning actress noted that good design and easy to complete transactions are what attract her to various online retailers. However, the main thing that she loves about shopping online is how much time it saves her.

Paltrow’s personal favorites to shop for online? Clothing and accessories, and her favorite time to shop is after she puts her children to bed while enjoying a glass of wine.

Shopping online isn’t just for the rich and famous, though. Millions of consumers purchase items online every day, and many save money using DealPly every time they do so. DealPly helps shoppers find the best deals from reputable vendors across the web. Shopping online is already a time-saver, but using DealPly will amplify that benefit, helping you find the product you want at the lowest price, purchase it, and move on to other fun things to do online – like looking to see what other movies Paltrow will be in following Iron Man 3.

Congress is considering a bill that would require online retailers to begin collecting state sales taxes, which would then be sent to the state where the shopper lives.
Congress is considering a bill that would require online retailers to begin collecting state sales taxes, which would then be sent to the state where the shopper lives. According to The Washington Post, the Senate put the bill to a preliminary vote with results of 74 for to 20 against, and if the same level of support continues, the bill could pass by the end of April. While the bill is focused on balancing online retail with physical shopping revenue, it could hurt both small businesses and consumers. Some opponents feel it will negatively affect state sales tax decisions as well.

“It is going to make online businesses the tax collectors for the nation,” Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire told the news source. “It really tramples on the decision New Hampshire has made not to have a sales tax.”

Despite potential pitfalls, the bill could serve to better support the economy overall, and as such is likely to pass. Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are supporting the bill in an effort to promote fairness in the market as well. Luckily for consumers, there are ways to continue to saving online. DealPly can provide shoppers with quick and easy links to savings anywhere on the web, helping consumers save in light of these potential changes and continue finding the best deals.

With DealPly, shoppers will automatically be directed towards the best prices and deals online and be able to shop more thoroughly than ever before. This means consumers will be able to get their online shopping done faster and more conveniently, and not have to worry about increased costs from newly implemented sales taxes. Additionally, DealPly will only direct shoppers to reputable, secure online stores, helping to enhance personal security on the internet. State sales tax may come to online shopping, but shoppers don’t have to pay more because of it all the time.

“It’s a matter of equity for businesses,” Dan Crippen, executive director of the National Governors Association, told the news source. “It’s a matter of revenue for states.”

Internet sales continue to rise, and no one can blame states that are struggling economically to want to capitalize on that, but shoppers shouldn’t have to suffer as a result. Download DealPly for free today and start saving immediately without any additional effort.

Spending less and getting more is always appreciated by shoppers, but being able to find better deals on your own can really take the shopping experience to the next level.

Spending less and getting more is always appreciated by shoppers, but being able to find better deals on your own can really take the shopping experience to the next level. Many choose to shop online rather than in a store for just this reason, but even on the internet, finding the best deal can be tricky. Even the savviest shopper can miss an opportunity, which is why DealPly can help anyone save more and shop smart online.

By installing DealPly for free, shoppers can get the best deals on the net automatically when they search for a product. DealPly will provide coupons, one-time deals, store-run discounts and even alternative products for consumers to choose from automatically, without any extra effort beyond the initial search by the shopper.

Without DealPly, can you really be sure that you’re getting the best deals on the net, and that you’re still shopping from reputable shops? DealPly also enhances online shopping in a secure way, while helping you save by directing you toward sites that are trustworthy at the same time.

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother – and that being the case, late spring brings a couple of important dates on every online shopper’s calendar. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both around the corner.

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother – and that being the case, late spring brings a couple of important dates on every online shopper’s calendar. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both around the corner.

While the two holidays may seem equivalent, as both parents are worthy of love and respect (and the occasional store-bought merchandise), recent survey data published in the Wall Street Journal suggests there’s actually a significant gulf between Mom’s day and Dad’s. RetailMeNot.com found that 67 percent of shoppers are more concerned with buying gifts for their mothers this spring than for their fathers.

The survey, which was conducted jointly with The Omnibus Company, found several other interesting nuggets of information on consumers’ Mother’s Day shopping habits – for example, 52 percent of people say they’re more likely to honor their moms in person on their day than their dads, and only a very small portion of the population – 16 percent – forgets entirely to contact Mom.

As for spending, consumers are investing plenty of money in Mother’s Day gifts – 42 percent said they were spending up to $40 this year, an additional 22 percent are spending $41 to $60 and 23 percent more are spending over $60.

Trae Bodge, a senior editor at RetailMeNot, is herself a mother, and unsurprisingly, she loves the extra attention being paid to Mother’s Day gifts these days.

“Mother’s Day is one of my favorite holidays,” Bodge said. “Although one of the things I love the most is a handmade card and an ‘I love you, Mom!’ from my 7-year-old daughter, I won’t lie, a tasteful gift or bouquet of flowers to celebrate my momhood is always nice too.”

Shopping for Mom online?
According to Biz Report, it’s never been easier to use the internet for Mother’s Day shopping. Basically everything Mom wants can be had through e-commerce. There is, however, a need for many merchants to improve their e-commerce presences, making them easier for shoppers to find and navigate.

“On average, 75 percent of independent retail stores will be difficult to find online,” industry expert Neal Polachek said. “Taken together, improving the online experience of these shops and stores is estimated to be nearly a $3 billion market opportunity.”

For those who have difficulties with finding the perfect gift for Mom, DealPly makes it easier for shoppers to find the right products at the right prices. By offering special deals and coupons to help shoppers better stretch their dollar, DealPly makes Mother’s Day shopping a breeze.

Be it colder weather or a lack of time, fewer consumers are doing their shopping in retail stores, and many are beginning to struggle as a result.

Be it the result of colder weather or a lack of time, fewer consumers are doing their shopping in retail stores, and many are beginning to struggle as a result. Clothing stores noted sizable backlogs of spring lines, while other retailers have noted a decline in overall sales. Yet online shops are seeing about 16 percent growth so far in 2013 compared to sales in Q1 of 2012.

According to The Guardian, shops in Britain are particularly struggling as they work to move products and keep profits up. Many are citing unseasonably cold weather as a deterrent to spring clothing sales, but the general trend toward online shopping may have more to do with it.

“Online shopping is so engrained in the culture now, the market seems to keep up its double-digit growth irrespective of potentially disruptive external factors,” Andrew McClelland, chief operations and policy officer of IMRG, told the news source.

According to Retail Times, about 63 percent of vendors expect physical store sales to continue to suffer. However, online sales continue to improve. Many online shops are offering discounts to move their winter lines in the colder weather, and pushing their spring products with sales and promotions as well. Additionally, many consumers are able to find seasonal products online that aren’t even being sold in physical stores anymore.

In order to take advantage of these trends and find those offered sales and discounts more easily, shoppers need to take advantage of every tool the internet has to offer. DealPly can find sales, coupons and discounts faster and help consumers shop smarter, finding the products they want from reliable vendors without the fuss of going into a store. With DealPly, consumers can ensure they never miss a deal or promotion again, and capitalize on the shifting trend away from physical retail shops.

By installing the DealPly browser add-on, you can automatically search all of your favorite stores, looking for the best deal or less expensive products that meet your needs faster. By automatically searching the web for you, DealPly can simplify the online shopping experience further and do so in ways that don’t intrude in your other online habits. This lets you shop safely and efficiently, and get back to more important things, like emailing work or signing offline to test out that new jacket outside.