Answers to our most frequently asked questions

General

How often do you update the front page / How does the "new" flag work?

Our writers work around the clock seven days a week. To help readers identify new content, a new flag is displayed beside each deal that was posted since your last visit (this disappears if you use our “sort by time" version of the front page). For your first visit of the day, all deals are flagged as “new." As you return throughout the day, the new flag only appears on the deals that have been added since your last visit.

Why are some DealNews links unreachable?

While nobody is perfect, the DealNews content team verifies each URL before publication so errors should be rare. Often, the reason why a link fails to load is because of software installed on the browser's computer. Some file-sharing applications have been known to silently install “ad-blocking" hacks onto the client machine. These usually take the form of a modified “hosts" file which essentially block access to a large number of third-party domains, many of which do not actually serve ads at all. These domains include click.linksynergy.com, service.bfast.com, clickserve.cc-dt.com, and www.anrdoezrs.net. For most home users, the hosts file can be deleted to solve this problem, but we advise you to make a backup of the file in case any problems arise. For office computers, there is an increased probability that there might be legitimate and important data in the hosts file so you should take particular care before modifying it. Most likely any important data would be at the top of the file.The location of the hosts file depends on your operating system:

Operating System Location
Mac OS 9.x In the “Preferences" folder.
Mac OS X 10.2 and later /etc/hosts
Windows 95/98/Me c:windowshosts
Windows NT/2000 c:winntsystem32driversetchosts
Windows XP Home/Pro c:windowssystem32driversetchosts
   

Note: you may need administrator access to edit the hosts file under Windows NT/2000/XP, and Mac OS X.

If a link via clickserve.cc-dt.com fails, you can also try deleting your cc-dt.com cookies.

Why does it sometimes take so long to post sweepstakes winners?

Surprisingly, the most common delay comes when a winner doesn't reply to our “you've won!" email. We don't post the name of a winner until he or she is confirmed. This can create quite a bit of lag. By rule, it takes us up to 30 days to pick a winner (it's usually much sooner), and a winner has up to seven days to reply before disqualification. Click here for a list of sweepstakes winners.

What is Hotness?

Hotness is a measure of deal popularity, unique to DealNews. We have a complex formula based on our reader's interest in each deal, which is recalculated every 15 minutes. The deals that attract the most interest from our readers, are displayed as the hottest.

What's an Editors' Choice?

The “Editors' Choice" icon represents the best of the best. To be an Editors' Choice, at least 2/3 of DealNews Editors must agree that a deal is truly remarkable. When you see an Editors' Choice icon, you're seeing something we've probably already bought.

Sales / Purchase

Do you sell the products on your site?

In General, DealNews doesn't sell the products we list. We're a news site that reports the very best deals offered by thousands of merchants. We have a staff of writers who search the Internet daily to find the best deals available on a variety of products. We aim to save our readers both time and money by pointing them to the best bargains, deals and coupons available on the web.

DealNews Marketplace is the only circumstance where DealNews is involved in selling products listed on the site. You can learn more about DealNews Marketplace here.

How do I buy a product from your site?

Each deal we list contains the merchant name and a link to the deal on the merchant's website. Click on this link and follow their instructions for making the purchase. If you have any questions about the product or the price, contact the merchant before you make the purchase.

How much is charged for shipping?

All shipping arrangements are handled by the merchant you're buying from- we do not ship any products. When known, we list the cost of shipping when we write up a deal. If you have any shipping questions, please contact the merchant before you complete your purchase.

If I purchase something from your site, can it be shipped internationally?

Each merchant will have different policies on international shipping. You will need to contact the merchant to find out if they will ship outside the United States.

What type of payment methods are accepted?

Please contact the merchant to find out what payment methods they accept.

I am looking for a certain product and I don't see it on your site. Why?

For dealcam or dealram- we typically don't have an item listed because the merchants we list don't offer it. However, if you let us know which products you want to see on the site, we will try to accommodate your request.

I purchased a product through a deal on your site and the product is defective or needs to be returned. What can I do?

Please contact the merchant you purchased the product from to determine what their return policy is.

How do I cancel an order?

Contact the merchant you purchased the product from to cancel the order.

Prices / Expired deals / Coupons

Why is a price for a product you list on your site different than on the merchant's website?

Our content team manually verifies each deal and coupon we list on DealNews before it's even listed. However, deals often expire after we list them, sometimes within hours. Often, the merchants don't tell us. We depend on our readers to let us know when a deal has expired or when a coupon code is not working.

Why do some deals expire before the expiration date you have listed?

Some deals or coupons have an expiration date, but are also limited to a certain number of uses. Once this limit is reached, the deal will expire regardless of the expiration date. In addition, merchants reserve the right to change or cancel deals at their discretion and without notice.

I saw a deal earlier, but cannot find it now. Where did it go?

The deal has probably expired. Once we mark a deal expired, it is hidden by default. However, you can choose to view our expired deals. When browsing a category page or search results, click the “Show Expired Deals" checkbox on the left. You can view deals for the three months prior to the current date.

Why did I see a better deal on another website than what you have on your website?

Each deal we list is by definition the lowest price available on that item from a reputable merchant, period. If an item can be found for less elsewhere, we blew it, so please tell us! (Select “Send us a hot tip" as the Department.)

I want to purchase a product listed on your site, but it is marked expired. Is it still available?

The product may still be available for purchase, but you will have to check the merchant's website for pricing and availability.

Rebates

Do you handle any rebates?

We do not handle any rebates. We report when rebates are available from the merchant or manufacturer.

I never received my rebate from a merchant. What can I do?

Please contact the merchant or manufacturer who is handling the rebate. Their contact information can usually be found on the rebate form or on their website.

How do I submit a rebate or get rebate forms?

We provide links to the rebate form when applicable. Every rebate has different requirements, so carefully follow the instructions for submitting the rebate and keep copies of the forms you submit for future reference.

Merchant Concerns

I had a bad experience with a merchant listed on your site. What can I do?

DealNews provides a consumer service by tracking trends in complaints for possible future alerts to our readers. Click here to see our Consumer Advocacy information. You can contact us through our complaints page to file a merchant complaint.

Why do you list deals from this merchant, they have bad ratings all over the internet?

Unfortunately, online merchant ratings services aren't dependable enough to judge a merchant. For example, a single irate customer may seek to defame a merchant by spamming as many of the merchant ratings sites, forums, and blogs as possible. While the experience may be accurate, it is not necessarily indicative of the way the company does business. In addition, companies can have their ratings skewed from competitors or disgruntled employees. DealNews combines information from online merchant ratings services with our own reader feedback to make judgements on which stores to ban. We take complaints VERY seriously and ban merchants who consistently provide poor customer service. On an on-going basis we review merchants for:

  • Complaint Volume (relative to the number of deals we send, does
    the merchant have a higher incidence of complaints than other merchants).
  • Do they correct problems when they arise?
  • Are they timely in their response to complaints?
  • Do we hear the same complaints over and over (indicating they are not addressing the root problem)?

If you personally have had a bad experience with a merchant, we want to know! You can contact us us through our complaints page.

myDealNews Account

What is myDealNews?

myDealNews is an account system for users to manage their newsletter and email alert subscriptions. Your account will also allow you to save your favorite deals to view later, and to comment on deals and features.

How do I sign up for myDealNews?

You can sign up for a myDealNews account on our registration page.

Remember that your username must be unique among other myDealNews users. Usernames are displayed when you comment on the site.

How do I change my email address?

To change your email address, log in to your account.

On the right, click “My Profile", then “Edit My Profile". Enter the new address and click “Save Changes". A confirmation email will be sent to the new address that will verify the change.

Why do I see an error page when trying to change my email address?

The most common cause of this error is that an account already exists for the new email address you are trying to use. You may login to either account to make changes. In order to change the address of one account, you will need to delete the other first.

If you need further assistance with this, please contact us through the Feedback department.

Why do I get an error message when I enter my password?

This normally happens when cookies are turned off. We require that your cookies be turned on so our site will remember who you are when you return.

I forgot my password, but I have not received the email with instructions to reset it.

For further assistance with this, please contact us through the Feedback department. We can reset your password for you.

Why have I stopped receiving my alert emails?

Your email provider may have been bouncing our emails. If we receive 3 or more bounces in a week on an account, our system is set up to automatically unconfirm it. We have it set up this way because email providers ban senders that continue to send email to an account that bounces.

Email bouncing can occur if your email inbox is full, or if you received many alerts in a short amount of time. To resolve the issue, please contact us through the Feedback department.

How do I setup my avatar image?

Avatar images are displayed with your username when you comment on the site. We use Gravatar to manage and display the images on the site. Gravatar allows you to manage multiple avatars for use on Gravater-enabled sites.

To setup your image, first log in to your account. Click “My Profile" on the right. Click “Change Avatar." You will be taken to the Gravatar Web site.

If you do not have a Gravatar account…

  1. Click “Create Your Own Avatar."
  2. If you have an existing WordPress.com account, click “I already have a WordPress.com account!" Skip to step 7.
    Note:
    • Your WordPress.com account does not have to use the same email address as your myDealNews account. Gravatar can manage multiple addresses with separate images.
  3. Sign up for Gravatar with a WordPress.com account. Fill in email, username, and password.
    Note:
    • You do not have to use the same email address as your myDealNews account. Gravatar can manage multiple addresses with separate images.
  4. Click “Sign up."
  5. A confirmation email will be sent from WordPress.com. Click the “Activate Account" link in this email to activate your new account. You will be taken back to the Gravatar web site.
  6. Click “Sign in to Gravatar."
  7. Login with your account details. You will be at a “Manage Gravatars" page.
  8. This page will say “Whoops, looks like you don't have any images yet! Add one by clicking here!" Click this link.
  9. Choose where you would like to get the image from, and select an image.
  10. Adjust the image cropping, if necessary.
  11. Click “Crop and Finish!"
  12. Choose a rating for your Gravatar.
  13. Your image is now connected to your myDealNews account. It may take a few minutes for the image to appear on the DealNews site.

If you already have a Gravatar account, OR if your Gravatar account email address does not match your myDealNews address…

  1. From the “Manage Gravatars" page, click “add a new email."
  2. Enter the email address associated with your myDealNews account, and click “Add."
  3. A confirmation email will be sent from Gravatar. Click the link in this email to verify your new email. You will be taken back to the Gravatar web site.
  4. The new email will be listed on the “Manage Gravatars" page. Click the email to select it.
  5. Select one of your images below, or add a new image.
  6. Your image is now connected to your myDealNews account. It may take a few minutes for the image to appear on the DealNews site.

Newsletters and Alerts / RSS Feeds

What newsletters do you offer? How are they different?

We post hundreds of deals each day, and many of them do not last all day. There is a chance you could miss deals posted overnight if you are only subscribed to our DealNews Select or DealNews Daily newsletters.

  • DealNews Morning is a recap of the hottest deals you may have missed from overnight and early morning. This newsletter is sent out at 8:00 am ET. Catch these deals before they expire!
  • DealNews Daily is a daily newsletter providing a full recap of all the day's deals as well as links to articles about saving money and shopping strategies. It's like getting the DealNews homepage in your inbox. This newsletter is sent out at 3:00 pm ET.
  • DealNews Select is a daily newsletter featuring only the best-of-the-best that DealNews has to offer. It contains the top hand-picked deals from our expert editorial staff along with the hottest picks from our readers. This newsletter is sent out at 3:00 pm ET.
  • DealNews Special Announcements is to receive updates about changes and improvements to the DealNews site, announcements about exclusive giveaways and promotions, and special offers from our hand-picked partners (sent by DealNews).
  • DealNews Black Friday is a daily newsletter sent at 3:00 pm ET during the month of November providing a great way to keep track of the latest rumored and confirmed ads from your favorite stores leading up to Black Friday.

What is a deal alert?

If you are looking for something specific, our deal alerts are your best option. A deal alert is an email we send when we get new deals and bargains for the merchant, keyword, or category you specify. For example, you can sign up for our “TVs" category and we will notify you when we get new TV deals.

How do I sign up for the daily newsletter and/or deal alert emails? Does it cost anything?

You can manage your daily newsletters in your myDealNews profile.

You can create a new alert in your profile page. Or, you can click the “Create an Alert" button located at the bottom of any category or search results page.

Our email subscriptions are free.

How do I unsubscribe from the daily newsletter and/or deal alert emails?

Every email we send contains a link to unsubscribe. Click on the link and you will no longer receive that type of email. You can also go to your myDealNews profile to unsubscribe. You will see a section called “My Newsletters" and a link called “Edit My Newsletters." After clicking that, you can uncheck the box next to any newsletters you no longer want and click “Save Changes."

Why am I not getting emails from you after signing up for the daily newsletter and/or deal alerts?

If you are not receiving e-mail from us, it is possible that our e-mail replies are being blocked by your browser settings or by your ISP. Contact your ISP or go to the help section of your e-mail program to find out how to change your e-mail filter settings.

What is an RSS feed and how do I get it?

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is an XML-based format for sharing news and other web content. It is a way of viewing what's new on DealNews, without visiting the site to check for updates. RSS feeds are available for DealNews. Links to our RSS feeds are available here. To view the feeds you must have a newsreader installed on your computer.

Privacy

What is your privacy policy?

Review our privacy policy here.

Does your site sell or share information with third parties?

At DealNews, we respect an individual's right to privacy and we do not provide any information to third parties. We may occasionally provide readers the opportunity to receive special offers from third parties, but these are only sent when an individual checks a box indicating that they give us permission to send them.If you have registered with our site (under myDealNews), you may receive occasional administrative e-mails from us; for example, if the site will be down for maintenance. Otherwise, the only e-mail you will receive is our newsletter and/or deal alerts if you have signed up to receive them.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small, harmless text files that are stored on your computer when you visit a website. Cookies work like memory, to help the site know who you are when you return and they contain no personally identifiable information.

Do you require cookies be turned on to use your site?

We don't require that cookies be turned on to view the site; however, we do require that they be turned on if you are setting up an account or logging in to your account in order to manage your email subscriptions or site preferences. You should know that cookies need to be turned on to shop at many of the Internet's online stores.

Contacting DealNews

How do I contact DealNews?

We welcome your feedback. Please use our contact form to reach the appropriate department.

How do I report a broken link?

If you click on a link in one of our product deals and you aren't able to access the merchant's site, please see the question “Why are some DealNews links unreachable?" above. If you can access the merchant's site, but you are not directed to the correct deal or if you find that the product or price we reported are no longer available, click on “report error" to let us know. You can also use our contact page to report a non-working link.