BiG Tips: With so many review and comparison sites around, how do you know which ones are good, bad, transparent, or not? Remember that many might only compare a small number of sites, or have undeclared affiliations. Just because they may be well known, or advertise extensively, doesn’t mean they’re making the best recommendations for you. You might want to look at testimonials, ask friends, or others if they’ve used them, often forums (eg money and investing) can help share their experiences with them. Throughout BiG are Resources (such as in Wealth) where you’ll find social media sites and groups of people (or “tribes”) of people interested in sharing ideas on money, investing, property, shares, business and many other areas of interest.

BEWARE of fake review scams eg Amazon fake reviews uncovered by this great worldwide site – Safety Detectives – Amazon Fake Reviews Scam Exposed in Data Breach They claim: “SafetyDetectives is a publishing group of cybersecurity experts, privacy researchers, and technical product reviewers located all over the world. And we all share the same mission — to give our readers accurate and valuable information so they can make informed decisions about staying safe, secure, and protected on the internet.
We test, compare, and review antiviruses, password managers, and virtual private networks (VPNs) using a robust testing methodology. It’s because of these high-stress testing procedures and strict publishing standards that we have become one of the internet’s go-to resources for information about consumer-based cybersecurity products. And that’s not a distinction we take lightly. We aim for the best, and we will never stop bringing our readers the highest quality in our reviews, articles, blog posts, and interviews.
In addition to our product reviews and comparisons, we maintain a distinguished fleet of cybersecurity researchers who employ white-hat hacking methods to find data leaks, security holes, and privacy breaches, oftentimes associated with major online retailers that have millions of users. Our white-hat hacking efforts have been widely featured in tech journals like Wired, TechCrunch, Engadget, and many more.
We’re here to help our readers in any way we can. The SafetyDetectives website is provided as a free resource for everyone to investigate, compare, and inquire about the best products, practices, and cybersecurity information available on the web.”

Here are some comparison sites to help you choose products and services:

Better Bills – Health (inc, Overseas Visitors) Insurance; Electricity and Gas  providers. They claim:  “founded by Tim Andrew and David Ingram to provide Australian consumers with a proper ‘fair go’ at getting the best prices from the widest range of providers, all in one place.”

Canstar Blue They claim: “… is Australia’s most-trusted comparison website.* Since 2010, we’ve been helping Australian consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on products and services by providing factual, up-to-date and well-researched comparison tables, ratings, reviews, guides and news on a range of consumer-related topics including Electricity, Gas, Solar, Internet, Phones and Home Appliances. Plus, we’re Australia’s leading Energy comparator platform**.

All of this information is all freely available on Canstar Blue’s website – it’s why more than nine million users came to our website last year* and the Canstar Blue logo is recognised by more than four in five Aussies**.

How do we do it? We’re a tight-knit group of experts in the fields of research, e-commerce, consumer products and services, journalism and content production, with the backing of Canstar, Australia and New Zealand’s premier financial services research and expert ratings agency.”

Choice  They claim: “We are the leading consumer advocacy group in Australia. Independent and member-funded, CHOICE is here to ensure that Australian consumers like you get a fair go. We want your voice to be heard loud and clear when it comes to anything consumer-related, from saving money to choosing the best products and services for your family, and we’re constantly on the look out for dodgy or misleading practices that might stop you from getting the best deal. We’ve been around for 60 years, so whether it’s campaigning for your rights, making shopping easier, testing products or giving unbiased advice about food, finance and health, CHOICE has the expertise to make sure you get the best information.”
see their How to find the best financial planner Before you pay an adviser, make sure they’re putting your needs first.

Compare the Market Compares: car, travel, health, life, home and contents insurance; roadside assistance; energy

finder.com.au Compares: Money; Utilities, Tech, Shopping and Travel

Flying Solo’s micro business directory – is a huge list of small businesses.

Get price They claim: “Compare prices and find the best online deals in Australia”

iSelect – Compares: Health, Car, and Life Insurance; Home Loans; Electricity; Gas and Broadband

Moneyhound, Yahoo – Compare credit cards; mobile phones; home loans; bank accounts; broadband plans; saving accounts; term deposits; personal loans; ; car loans; electricity; gas; life insurance; and car insurance.
They claim: ” helps you save money on your monthly bills… compare what you’re paying for all your monthly services against plans and prices from other providers to help you switch and save… Moneyhound will show you a comprehensive range of plans and products available in the Australian market based on your search criteria … search, compare, and fetch a better deal.”

Mozo They claim:  “Over 300,000 Australians use our comparison tools each month to cut through the marketing noise and save themselves both time and money. Our award-winning website exists to help Australians easily compare banking, insurance and energy products to find the best deals for their needs.?”

National Product Review  They claim: “Are you in the market for a new home appliance? Want to read up on the latest TV tech or view the newest fridges in your home? At National Product Review, you can do it all! National Product Review is Australia’s leading review site, designed to help you on your purchasing journey with a range of tools to assist from research to buying. You can view key product features, watch videos, read reviews and locate your closest retailer. Created by NARTA, an Integrated Retail Service Group, National Product Review lets you enjoy a simpler way to shop.”

Product review They claim: “is Australia’s first and most comprehensive consumer opinion site, online since May 2003. We provide a platform where people can rate and review services and products and the shops that sell them. It is consumer response – satisfied or not! On this site you will find real-life experiences and opinions voiced by Australians. We provide our users with the tools to easily find the items they are interested in, read what others have said about them and share their own experiences.”

Rate City (see their commissions/benefits from advertisers) They claim: “is one of Australia’s leading financial comparison websites. We’re here to help you make smarter decisions about your personal finances and help you find the right financial products. We compare a range of banking products, from home loans to credit cards, personal loans and car loans, superannuation funds, savings accounts and more. With access to over 13,000 financial products from over 250 providers, RateCity does the leg work for you – narrowing down thousands of potential options to find products that suit your lifestyle and rates to suit your budget.
RateCity’s sophisticated search tools mean you don’t have to visit hundreds of different websites to find the best deals. We show you side-by-side comparisons so you can see how a range of products stack up.
In short, we take the hassle out of finding the right financial products – saving you time and money.”