I’ve just started on my Christmas shopping and now hoping that the gifts I bought online would arrive by December 24. It’s a nail biting experience, with all the shipping unknowns (package got lost!)

Since I’ve got 3 kids, I buy mostly toys and learning tools. One thing that surprised me is the wide discrepancy of prices of the same item from one online store to the next, that it would be downright foolish not do any price comparison shopping.

For example, Vtech’s Kidi Art Studio costs $59.99 at ToysrUs.com , $59.96 at Walmart.com , but only $47.99 at Amazon.com . But Amazon is not always the cheapest, especially if a third party seller is offering the item. Amazon sells the Tonka Bounce Back Racer for $59.99 but ToysRUs in their Biggest Toy Book Ever lists the item as costing only $24.99. That’s more than half!!!

I’m just amazed at how significant the price difference of the same items on the Web. Unless you are looking for something unique offered only by 1 or 2 online sellers, it is imperative to do some sort of price comparison.

Like anything about running a business, price can be an important factor for customers — unless you differentiate yourself from the others where the customer will still buy from you even if you cost twice as much as the other seller.