Amazing-Bargains.com

Who we were

Amazing-Bargains.com was built and operated by Michael Coley, with no other employees. My wife Kara, the quintessential shopper, provided the inspiration for the site and made sure I didn't sit in front of the computer searching for bargains 24 hours a day.

How it grew

• May 16, 1999It began humbly, as a single “Amazing Bargains” page on my first web site, Bible-Reading.com. Within a couple of months, over half of that site's traffic was going to the bargains page.
• August 29, 1999Everything moved to its own domain, Amazing-Bargains.com, and the page was divided into category pages and store pages.
• Holiday season 1999The site saw tremendous growth.
• 2000A year of expansion. The number of categories, stores and bargains grew considerably, and the site's features expanded greatly.
• August 27, 2001A redesigned site launched, with layout help from web designer Clarence Eldefors. Bargains could be browsed by category, by store, by date added, by expiration date and by popularity.
• 2001 – 2004Featured by national magazines, newspapers and TV shows (see below).
• 2003Magazine deals got a site of their own: MagazinePriceSearch.com. It’s still the place to find the best prices on magazine subscriptions.
• October 14, 2009The last bargains were added. This page preserves the site’s history.

What it offered

For shoppers, one place to find coupons, discounts and bargains. Every store was hand-selected to make sure visitors got the best possible online shopping experience. When a shopper had a problem with a store that customer service couldn't solve, I did my best to get it taken care of.

For merchants, an effective way to reach highly motivated shoppers who appreciate a good deal.

In the press

• Yahoo Internet Life“50 Most Incredibly Useful Sites” July 2002
• Yahoo Internet Life“Sites We Love: Hall of Fame” May 2002
• PC World“The Art of the Deal” January 2004 issue
• US News & World Report“Shop Till You Drop” December 2003
• The Motley Fool“Couples and the Christmas Cash Crunch” October 2003
• Better Homes and Gardens“Does Clipping Coupons Save You Money?” August 2003
• Woman's Day“18 Ways to Stash More Cash” April 2003
• TechTV, Call For Help“Cat's Clicks: Hot Deals at Your Fingertips” 2002 – 2003
• The Detroit News“More to shop online this year” November 2004
• Boston Globe“Visit Little-Box Discounters” December 2002
• CBSNews.com“Bargain Hunting Via the Web” November 2002
• Kiplinger.com“How to Snag a Deal Online” November 2001

Plus many TV and radio segments, including KTLA 5, KTRK ABC 13 Houston, KSDK 5 St. Louis (“Website of the Day”), WCCO 4 and KOMO AM 1000.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who shopped, saved, sent in a tip or told a friend over the years. It was a joy to share the bargain hunt with you. If you’re looking for something to read each day, my first site, Bible-Reading.com, is still going.