Study after study reveals that increasing numbers of Americans are shopping online -- and retail sites are doing their best to lure these consumers with promises of the lowest prices, free shipping, coupons and other attractive money-saving tactics. But what is the best way to save money online, and what kinds of deals are shoppers really looking for? If you're buying a digital camera, is it better to get free shipping at Best Buy, cash back at Circuit City or a coupon at Good Guys?

Not surprisingly, shopping category -- that is, which class of items consumers are shopping for -- makes a difference in how they choose to save online. Ninety percent of those shopping in the "Home & Garden" category, for example, cite "Free Shipping" among their favorite ways to save money when shopping, higher than in any other category. Those buying in the "Business & Office" and "Computer" categories look for mail-in rebates more often than do users in other categories. And those shopping for apparel and jewelry are eager to find items on sale.

"With seven million members and 800+ online retailers, our cash-back shopping portal is the Internet's best laboratory for observing and understanding smart shopping and saving behavior," said Alessandro Isolani, Ebates co-founder and CEO. "We understand that there are many different ways to save online. Indeed, online retailers are continually trying new ways to move goods and services, but it can be a free-for-all. We want to help shoppers know what's out there, so they can make sense of it all.

"Over time, we hope that the Ebates Online Savings Index will prove useful to consumers but also engage retailers in offering new promotions and innovative savings opportunities that are targeted to specific demographic groups," he said.

"The bottom line -- all shoppers want to save," said Isolani. "While our members' single biggest incentive is obviously the ability to get cash back from us whenever they shop online, it doesn't just stop there. They're also looking for great deals and special offers they can combine with their cash back to get an even better deal. Merchants who work with us to offer additional savings, in a form that's targeted to what customers are looking for, consistently reap huge rewards."

Ebates is a free, easy-to-use online shopping portal that gives consumers cash back every time they shop at more than 800 name-brand stores. No matter which money-saving tactic attracts a particular online shopper -- by starting at Ebates first, he or she is able to layer those savings with guaranteed cash back with every purchase.

About Ebates

Ebates http://www.ebates.com is a Top 10 online shopping portal (based on comScore data, as published in Internet Retailer) that gives consumers cash back every time they shop online at more than 800 name-brand stores. Members save an average of 4 percent on every online purchase at any of the participating stores -- even up to 25 percent at some stores -- totaling millions of dollars in cash back from Ebates every month. Ebates invented the online cash-back shopping portal concept when it launched in 1999, and it continues to lead the industry with more members, more retail partners and more cash for its users