Netbooks, Kindles, GPS: Avoiding Buyer's Remorse

Have you bought a netbook, an Amazon Kindle 2, a portable GPS device, or another mobile electronic gadget lately? If so, let me ask you another question: How long was it before you wish you'd waited for something cheaper-faster-better?

My guess is: not too long. Given the fast pace of tech product introductions these days, a post-purchase twinge of regret is practically unavoidable. In fact, I believe we've entered the era of instant buyer's remorse.

Other than the unpleasant emotions such a state invokes, just the fear of buyer's remorse makes it harder to decide on the right product at the right time, and to buy it with confidence.

At the same time, the near-death of consumer tech superstores such as CompUSA and Circuit City means you have fewer options for getting some hands-on time with a potential tech purchase in a store, especially if you live in a rural area or small town. (Office equipment retailers such as Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot still carry laptops, GPS systems, and such, as do big-box retailers like Target, Wal-Mart and Costco.) Add to that the restocking fee some retailers charge if you return a product that isn't defective, and you've got a situation that's stacked against the consumer. A typical restocking fee is 15 percent of the product's price tag.

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