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How to use Twitter to improve your shopping experience

If you're looking to save some cash, you might want to consider some Twitter tools that help you do just that. They all work well and they all should make your wallet just a little heavier.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
3 min read

Twitter might just seem like a social place to converse with friends, but it's actually much more. In fact, with the help of some Twitter services that help you either compare prices or the find the right product for any occasion, it has become an appealing shopping tool.

So, if you're looking to save some cash, you might want to check out these Twitter tools.

Go shopping

CheapTweet CheapTweet combs through Twitter to find the best deals, coupons, or sales, users are tweeting about. From there, it displays all those findings on its home page, allowing users to vote on the deals they like.

CheapTweet is the like the Digg of the cost-conscious Twitter world. The app lists deals on industries ranging from fashion and beauty to technology and entertainment. The most popular deals, as voted by users, are listed under the "Cheapest Tweets" option. If you're looking for new deals, CheapTweet lists those under "Newest Tweets." In either case, CheapTweet is a great way to find deals. But beware that because it has so few users, you won't find Digg-like voting tallies.

CheapTweet
CheapTweet lists all the best deals, as voted by users. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

CouponTweet CouponTweet finds coupons from across the Web that Twitter users have tweeted about. Right from the site, you can claim your coupon.

After analyzing tweets, CouponTweet lists all the latest coupons on the site. Once you decide you want one, you can claim the coupon and be brought to the appropriate page to redeem it. The site lists deals on a variety of topics, including cell phones, travel, and tickets to sporting events and concerts. You can also search the site for deals you don't find on the home page.

CouponTweet
CouponTweet helps you find great deals on Twitter. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

JustBought.it Since Twitter is a community, sharing great deals is an important element. JustBought.it exploits that by helping you find the deals JustBought.it users have already found.

When you start trying to find deals, JustBought.it automatically determines your location and displays all the recent deals in your area. If you live in a small town, you might not find too many deals. But if you're in a big city, you'll actually find quite a few. In either case, the site is constantly updated with new tweets from people who used JustBought.it to tell followers about the deals they've found. When you click on the link in their tweets, you'll be brought to a JustBought.it page, which displays a picture of the product. So, consider JustBought.it a location-based, deal-discovering TwitPic.

JustBought.it
JustBought.it helps you find deals in your area. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

Schmap Schmap sifts through user tweets to help you find reviews on restaurants and bars in your area.

When you first get to Schmap, you need to input the city you want to search. From there, you can view the latest tweets from users in that city discussing local establishments. If you want to narrow it down by the type of meal or drinks you're looking to have, Schmap lets you do that too. You can even choose the city district you want to stick to. All the tweets Schmap lists are tweet reviews of different establishments around town. It also plots all the places on a Google Maps integration to make it easier for you to find it. It's really a neat service. But beware that it's currently only available in select cities, so if you live in the suburbs or smaller metro areas, this tool won't be all that helpful.

Schmap
Schmap is worth trying out if you want to find something to eat in your city. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

TinyMassive TinyMassive is an online search engine that combs the Web to find you the best deals on just about any product you can think of.

But if you're a Twitter user, it goes one better. Simply tweet a search query to @TinyMassive. It will then reply to your tweet with the number of results matching your query on TinyMassive.com. If you follow the link in the TinyMassive tweet, you'll be brought to the results page. The TinyMassive tweet also includes the top result, so you can see if it's finding what you want. I think it's a neat way to use Twitter. And based on my experience, it works quite well.

TinyMassive
TinyMassive lists all the answers to tweeter queries. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

My top 3

1. CheapTweet: With so many offerings, CheapTweet provides a really great service.

2. TinyMassive: Answering tweets with search results? A smart plan, if you ask me.

3. CouponTweet: You'll probably find some good deals with CouponTweet.