B uying used items on-line is a great way to save money, often big money -- in some cases as much as 80%. Lots of items, including golf clubs, home gyms, designer accessories, hand tools, books, CDs and musical instruments, can be purchased used from various Web sites. New technologies make it easier to compare prices between new and used items. Used merchandise is often just as good as new, and many items are factory reconditioned -- and many of these come with money-back guarantees (if you buy from the right seller).

RECONDITIONED/REFURBISHED

Factory-reconditioned or refurbished products are those that have been returned to an authorized factory service center and restored to meet original manufacturer quality standards. Refurbishing may be as simple as replacing an electrical cord, or as major as replacing a hard drive on a computer. These products carry a manufacturer warranty that is as good as the warranty on the item if it were new, and are usually repackaged like new. They should also include the same accessories and manuals as would be included with new products.

You can buy refurbished items at savings up to 80% at RefurbDepot (www.refurbdepot.com). Here you can find items such as home theaters, portable digital music players, digital copiers, camcorders and power tools.

Hint: Not every type of refurbished item is a good deal -- especially computers, plasma TVs and certain appliances. For example, you can buy a new Dell Dimension 3000 desktop computer for about $400, so why even consider buying refurbished? A similar refurbished desktop computer will cost about 15% less, but you probably won't get up-to-the-minute technology and can't customize it to your exact specifications. Similarly, the newest technology in plasma screen TVs is much better than that of slightly older models -- and prices are coming down all the time, so it pays to wait until a new model fits your budget. It may be tempting to look on-line for washers, dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators, but in many cases, newer models with higher energy efficiency will save you more money on monthly energy bills than the savings you could reap from the purchase price of a refurbished model. Some good buys...

Home gyms: High-end home workout equipment is constructed so well that you can get terrific merchandise at bargain prices, with a warranty. Lots of sites that sell new stuff have a used and reconditioned section as well. Try www.gymcor.com for treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical cross trainers, rowing machines, etc. A reconditioned StairMaster 612 Plus treadmill costs $2,095 compared with $7,495 new, a savings of 72%.

Hand tools: Check out factory-reconditioned tools, like those from top manufacturer Bosch, at http://bosch.cpotools.com/reconditioned_tools. A wide variety of tools, such as circular saws, belt sanders, routers and drills (corded and cordless) are offered for 20% to 30% less than the cost for new tools.

Musical instruments: Secondhand instruments, both used and reconditioned, are a bargain at www.musiciansbuyline.com, where you can find violins, guitars, banjos, keyboards, drums -- even pianos -- and more.

Boats: The Web site www.iboats.com offers more than 100,000 marine products at low prices, including used sailboats and reconditioned powerboats. Before purchasing a used or reconditioned boat, have it checked out by a qualified marine mechanic. Find one at Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, Inc. (800-344-9077, www.marinesurvey.org).

Photography equipment: At B&H Photo (www.bhphotovideo.com) you can find used and reconditioned cameras, camera lenses, darkroom and video equipment, binoculars and more. This site's in-house service department (the company has a large bricks-and-mortar retail store in New York City) inspects every piece of used equipment and a warranty is included for each item.

WHAT TO BUY USED

Dramatic price savings make buying used (but not refurbished) worthwhile for certain items...

Golf clubs: Deals on used drivers, woods, iron sets, individual irons, wedges and putters can be found at Callaway Golf Pre-Owned (www.callawaygolfpreowned.com), which, in addition to their own label, sells other brands, such as Titleist and TaylorMade. A set of Big Bertha 2004 irons in average condition costs as little as $400, versus $760 for the set when it was new.

Designer accessories: You can get great discounts on formerly very pricey scarves, designer handbags, sunglasses and belts from such designers as Prada, Gucci and Ferragamo. Visit www.luxuryvintage.com where, for example, you can buy a $288 (when new) Gucci clutch purse for $146 -- a savings of 49%.

Books: You can get today's best-selling books for 30% to 40% off the suggested retail price simply by going to giant on-line retailer Amazon.com, which lists some used books alongside new ones. For much larger lists of used books, check Alibris (www.alibris.com), which lists more than 54 million used and out-of-print books. Also try Abebooks (www.abebooks.com), which lists approximately 60 million used and out-of-print books. At these sites you can also find rare old books and used textbooks.

DVDs and CDs: You can buy a wide variety of movies and music CDs at www.secondspin.com for 30% to 50% off retail prices. Everything is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee if you receive a CD or DVD that is defective.

BUYING ON eBay

eBay (www.ebay.com) is the world's largest Internet marketplace for the sale of used goods and may be the first site that comes to mind when you want to buy something. There are sound reasons to buy here, as well as a reason to steer clear.

Advantages: eBay offers an incredible range of items -- on an average day, there are millions of items offered on eBay. Buyers may purchase items in an auction format or at a fixed price through a feature called "Buy It Now."

Disadvantage: According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the on-line auction format at eBay and some other sites can be shaky -- complaints arise from late shipments, products that aren't the same as advertised, no shipments and bogus on-line payment and escrow services. Although eBay provides a limited fraud protection program, buying from the Internet sites of bricks-and-mortar stores provides a safer buying environment than buying from individuals.

Suggestion: Read the FTC guide to Internet auctions, free at www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/computers/
internet-auction/internet_auctions.htm.

SHOPPING SAFELY ON THE INTERNET

Look for the padlock icon to be in the locked position in the lower right hand corner of your browser window. The padlock indicates that the site uses encryption technology to transfer information from your computer to the on-line merchant's computer. Never send your credit card number or bank account number via E-mail. If you must, break it up into two messages so that hackers are less able to get your whole account number.

Verify the display of seals of approval. Sites often suggest that they are reliable by displaying a credential from third-party firms in the form of seals of approval. Make sure these seals, such as those of the Better Business Bureau, actually link to the sponsoring organization.

Use a credit card for on-line buying. If you're offered a choice, always pay with a credit card. The Fair Credit Billing Act protects your transaction -- you can withhold payment of your credit card bill at least temporarily if there is a problem with the transaction.

Watch shipping charges carefully. The price of items may be low, but sellers often charge you an arm and a leg for shipping.

Read the "fine print" warranty language. Find out what it covers, how long the coverage lasts and where to send the product for repairs, a refund or replacement. Ideally, you want a warranty that covers the product for a relatively long time and offers repairs and/or replacements.