Are you thinking about getting some of your holiday shopping done online? Today, the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend, has been nicknamed “Cyber Monday” because many stores are offering exclusive deals and sales online that may just rival the sales of “Black Friday,” one of the biggest (and most dangerous) shopping days of the year.

Before you buy, here are some tips to make sure your hard-earned money isn’t wasted this holiday season:

1. Know what you are bidding on, and what its value really is. If it is an item seen in retail stores, make sure the price is reasonable, especially if you are going to be paying shipping. Make note of whether the item in question is a new, reconditioned or used product. This will help you come up with your maximum price.

2. Check multiple online auctions sites before placing a bid. Professional auctioneers will list the same item on multiple sites, and those sites that are not as popular as Ebay may have a lower price for the same exact item. Often there are less bidders as well at these sites, which will give you a greater probability of getting your item at a lower price.

3. View the merchant’s rating. Most auction sites have a rating system for sellers which is based on buyer feedback. Note how many transactions that the merchant has had. A 98% satisfaction rating on a merchant with 400 transactions holds more weight than a merchant with 100% satisfaction rate with 3 transactions. Also, if you can view the complaints, see what they were specifically, such as slow shipping or if the item was not as specified.

4. Check what type of warranty the seller offers. Be wary if you have toaccept a product when no replacement is offered if the item is defective. Reputable sellers will have some sort of replacement procedure if youritem arrives broken, or if you are unsatisfied with it.