How To Play the Surfing Game

Let me just say here in the beginning that I'm sure there are many individuals far more qualified than I am to be writing a piece like this, so if you're one of them, just exit my blog and go fishing or something. I really don't want to bore you.

If, on the other hand, you're one of those who frequently are frustrated by the fact you can't find what you're looking for on the Internet, perhaps you'll discover something helpful in what I'm about to offer. Just so you know--I decided to write this piece after doing an online search Tuesday night for a discontinued bait. Please understand, though, that the example I use here is just for drill--it's not the actual bait I was searching for Tuesday night. After all, I can't divulge what might prove to be my "ace in the hole" somewhere down the road.

I readily admit that I'm not 100 percent successful in finding the "objects of my affection," but I was lucky enough to come up a winner Tuesday night--albeit not without some setbacks. The truth of the matter is that I ended up with four of my PayPal orders being cancelled before hitting pay dirt. The problem each time was that a company's "actual" inventory didn't match its "advertised" inventory. Let me assure you of one fact, however: This is a game in which persistence usually pays off, so it helps if you have a bulldog's tenacity.

For the sake of this drill, I'm going to use the Bomber Square A. Let's pretend I want to find the 3/8-oz. model that is 2 inches long. Let's further pretend this lure has been discontinued. Here are some of the Google search strings I conceivably could run through in trying to find this lure:

    
     * Bomber Square A
     * Bomber Square A ebay
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 3/8 oz.
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 2"
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 3/8 oz. 2"
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 3/8 oz. ebay
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 2" ebay
     * Bomber Square A firetiger 3/8 oz. 2" ebay

An important point to understand from these examples of various search strings is that each one likely will produce at least a few--note I said a "few"--different results. Be prepared to take the time necessary to go through each list thoroughly, so you don't accidentally miss something. That's the way I conducted my search Tuesday night, and while I experienced a number of failures along the way, I finally found what I wanted.

Another important point to remember is that, in the case of discontinued items, whether it be bass lures or whatever, you very well may have to pay more than the original market price. Accordingly, I always make it a point to compare all the prices before I place an order. Be sure to include shipping prices in those comparisons, too, because you often will find a wide variation in that area. My search last night revealed base shipping prices ranging from $5 to as much as $15.

Finally, I would urge you to review an order carefully before hitting the "submit" button. Make sure what you want is what the order specifies. In the case of the Bomber Square A, for example, it's possible you accidentally could be ordering the 1/4-oz. model that is 1 5/16 inches long, instead of the bigger model you really want. While you're checking the info on the order form, also verify that the number requested is correct. If everything else appears to be OK, then go ahead and "submit" the order.

Here's hoping your next online shopping adventure is successful.