When that online deal becomes a steal

Online shoppers can sniff out retailers’ mistakes and exploit them
within minutes -- snapping up free goods, rebates and gift cards
without a twinge of regret.

For some online shoppers, the line between a bargain and a steal is getting ever more blurry.

The
explosion of deal sites and shopping chat rooms on the Web has allowed
shoppers to spread the word to thousands of fellow bargain-hunters when
they discover a glitch or loophole that delivers free or heavily
discounted merchandise.

"Any mistake (shoppers) can find on a
Web site, they will exploit," said Sucharita Mulpuru, an e-commerce
analyst with Forrester Research in New York