The Internet has completely changed the way we shop. A 2016 survey by UPS found that just over half of all purchases in the U.S. are now made online rather than in stores. Internet shopping offers convenience, a wider selection, and a chance to compare products and prices easily across different retailers. And, because online stores have lower overhead than brick-and-mortar stores, you can often find better deals online.

However, online shopping has its downsides too. For one, you can’t physically examine, feel, or try on the product in the way you can in a store. Once you click the “buy” button, you have to wait for your product to be shipped to you, instead of being able to take it home right away. You also have to pay extra for shipping, which can cancel out the perks of getting a lower price (though there are tricks you can use to keep shipping costs low).

So, which is better: hitting the mall, or hitting the Web? Basically, it depends on what you’re buying. There are some products it makes more sense to buy in a store – but for others, you’ll almost always get the best deals by shopping online.

A true online bargain has to meet two criteria. First, it has to be something you can feel confident about buying without seeing it in person first. And second, it has to be cheaper than the same product would be if you bought it in a store – including the added cost of shipping.

Buying a new gadget, such as a TV or a smartphone, is a complicated process. There are lots of different factors to consider, including the product’s specs, the warranty, and how easily you can return it if you’re not happy with it. It’s hard to do all that while standing in a showroom under the eye of an eager sales clerk trying hard to get you to make your purchase right away.

Shopping online for electronics takes the pressure off. It lets you take your time to compare different products, read customer reviews, and make sure you’re getting the right one for you. You can also compare prices, warranties, return policies, and price match guarantees across a wide variety of stores to find the best deal. Plus, shopping online lets you include specialty tech sites, such as TigerDirect or Newegg, in your search, along with more traditional stores like Target or Best Buy.

On top of all that, buying electronics online can be cheaper – a lot cheaper. Experts say the Web is the best place to find good prices for:

Laptops. When you buy a laptop computer, you have a lot of options to choose from, such as the processor, RAM, hard drive, and ports. Shopping online makes it easier to customize your laptop so you get exactly what you want without being “upsold” – talked into buying a much bigger, pricier package than you really need. Plus, you can often find special incentives online that you can’t get at brick-and-mortar stores, such as a free gift card with purchase. For instance, manufacturers sometimes offer special cash-back deals through sites like Ebates. GoBankingRates reports that Lenovo offers back-to-school deals of up to 12% cashback through Ebates, which comes to $60 if you buy a $500 laptop.
TVs. Brent Shelton, an online shopping expert at FatWallet, says in GoBankingRates that online prices for TV sets can be 10% to 30% lower than store prices. You can use price-comparison sites to track prices from different retailers on a day-to-day basis and snap up the TV of your dreams when its price hits rock bottom. Be careful about shipping costs, though. Shipping a big item like a 60-inch TV to your home often costs extra. One way around this problem is to choose the “ship to store” option and pick up the set yourself. Even if you have to rent a truck to get it home, that’s often cheaper than paying the site’s shipping fee.
Small Accessories. When you buy a new gadget, you often need a few accessories to go with it, such as a cable, a case, or a charger to use in your car. Little extras like these are much cheaper to buy online. According to a Forbes interview with consumer expert Andrea Woroch, buying these add-ons over the Web can save you as much as 60% compared to picking them up at the store.
Shopping online is also the easiest way to buy refurbished electronics. You can find refurbished models in like-new condition at manufacturers’ websites, on retail sites, and in online marketplaces like eBay – all at bargain prices. For instance, according to Shelton, you can often buy refurbished laptops for less than half the price of new ones.

A 2015 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about one in four Americans who take prescription drugs say they have trouble paying for them. One way to save on prescription drug costs is to order your medicine from an online or mail-order pharmacy. Many health insurers work with mail-order pharmacies to keep their costs down. In some cases, you can get a 90-day supply of a medication and pay your copay only once, rather than refilling once a month at your local pharmacy and paying the copay three times.

However, experts say you need to be careful with online pharmacies. Some sites that sell prescription drugs online are phony pharmacies that dispense illegal, counterfeit drugs. These imitations could be ineffective or even harmful.

Fake online pharmacies sometimes camouflage themselves by using URLs and websites that look very similar to legitimate ones, so it’s not easy to tell them apart at first glance. To make sure the one you’re using is legit, look for the red-and-blue VIPPS seal, which stands for Verified Internet Pharmacy Practices Site. This shows that the site has been approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. You can also use LegitScript to check out an online pharmacy’s credentials.

Buying online can save you money on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, as well. Many big-name drugstore chains have programs that give you discounts or other special deals for ordering online. For instance, CVS’ Ship & Save program gives you discounts of up to 20%, plus free shipping, for buying over-the-counter drugs and other household items on a regular, recurring basis. Rite Aid periodically offers promo codes for discounts of 20% or more for online orders, as long as you belong to the store’s Wellness+ program.

Subscription services like Ship & Save aren’t just good for medicines. They can save you money on anything you buy on a regular basis – and for a lot of new parents, that includes disposable diapers. Buying your diapers online also saves you time – something new parents can always use more of – because you don’t have to run out to the store with baby in tow to buy more. Most importantly, you never risk running out of diapers, which would be a real disaster.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get discounts of up to 20% on diapers, baby food, and other baby supplies through the Amazon Family service. You’ll also receive special offers and coupons by e-mail. If you’re not a Prime member, you can still save up to 15% on these supplies by setting up regular deliveries through Amazon’s Subscribe & Save feature. Target also has a subscription service for baby supplies, which gives you a 5% discount on every purchase, plus free shipping.

The Web is also a great place to find deals on baby clothes. You don’t really need to worry about getting the proper fit, since your baby is going to outgrow them soon anyway. One useful site is Baby Mall Online, where you can find items on clearance for as little as $2 each. You can also save big money by shopping secondhand for baby clothes on sites like eBay.

Another good thing to buy through a subscription service is pet food. It’s something you buy on a regular basis, and it tends to come in big, heavy bags. Having it shipped straight to your home saves you the trouble of hauling all those bags home from the store. There are many places to buy pet food online, including:

Amazon. Pet food, like all other products, is eligible for a 15% discount with the Subscribe & Save program. There are thousands of products to choose from for dogs, cats, and just about any other pet you can name.
Chewy. This online pet supplier offers discounts of 5% to 10% on subscription orders of select brands. You can also get a discount of 20% on your first order when you set up its subscription service, known as Autoship. The site offers free two-day shipping on all orders over $49, and a flat $4.95 rate on smaller orders.
Petco. Like Chewy, this pet superstore offers a discount of 20% on your first order when you sign up for repeat delivery. The site also features an ever-changing assortment of “daily deals” on specific items.
PetSmart. You can get 15% off online orders of $100 or more at PetSmart, or 10% off orders up to $99, if you choose the in-store pickup option for shipping. Of course, doing this cancels out the benefit of home delivery. If you prefer to have items delivered to your home, you can get free shipping on any order over $49, but there’s no discount this way.