PowerReviews (ARA) - The weather is turning colder. Bright lights and decorations abound. Your relatives are dropping hints on what they want to see under the tree. The holidays are quickly coming upon us ... and that means it's time to shop.

Finding gifts for loved ones can be one of the best parts of the holidays, but it also can be one of the most time-consuming and stressful, as choices abound. You may find yourself asking: "Which of the hundreds of digital cameras on the market is sturdy enough for a college student? Which building blocks are safe for a 1-year-old? Where do I find the best deal on the Nintendo Wii?"

Fortunately, a number of free tools are available to guide both the savvy shopper and the clueless gift-giver through this potentially daunting process. The best of tools are offered online - the same place where many of us go first when considering a purchase.

According to a recent study by Burst Media, 85 percent of consumers are planning to shop online this holiday season. What's more, 57 percent will go online to compare different retailers to find the best price and 55 percent will use the Internet to compare product features.

So, where to start? Here are just a few online tools to help you do your homework before making an important holiday purchase:

Online reviews are at the core of many consumers' information gathering process and Buzzillions (www.buzzillions.com) is one review site that continually gets high marks, based on its volume of reviews (almost 7 million) and product coverage (over 1 million products reviewed). Buzzillions is unique in that it verifies that reviewers have purchased the product they are evaluating, ensuring the recommendations are coming from a knowledgeable source.

Buzzillions also lets you search for reviews based on the lifestyle of the person you are shopping for, such as "gourmet chef" or a "first-time parent." With this kind of valuable information available at the click of a mouse, it is no wonder nearly two-thirds of those who shop online say reading a positive review can help to influence their decision to purchase the product, according to Forrester Research's study, "Myths and Truths About Online Customer Reviews".

Online coupons are another valuable resource for shoppers this holiday season. Sites like RetailMeNot and CouponCabin keep track of special offers from major retailers like Gap, Sears and Victoria's Secret and offer them to consumers for free. By entering these codes at checkout, shoppers can get big discounts on their purchases. Online coupons are so popular that Ask.com launched Ask Deals (www.ask.com/deals), which aggregates deals from multiple coupon and retail sites, giving consumers the ability to go to one site, versus several, in their search for a bargain.

And, lastly, what kind of consumer would you be if you didn't use the mobile Web for last minute questions and ideas? One popular application is Slifter which works on most mobile devices. Slifter lets you search for a product and returns results in your area along with the price, showing you that if you drive a few extra miles, you might be able to save $20 on a new DVD player. iPhoneMyeBay is an eBay-certified application for the iPhone that lets consumers bid on items using their mobile device - a great tool for finding the right gift for the collector in your family.

In short, when it comes to holiday shopping, the tools for making the right purchase - and the process painless - are right at your fingertips this season. By simply logging on you can do your research, give your wallet a break and your loved ones the best that your money can buy.

Courtesy of ARAcontent