When dealing with things you have no prior knowledge of, it's important to keep your eyes and ears open for what the more experienced think. While you can easily ask for the man-on-the-street opinion, you can save yourself the trouble of introducing yourself to random strangers just to get their feedback on something specific, thanks to the Internet. On the Web is a grand array of customer feedback, even ratings on child safety gear like strollers, playpens and car seats. Car seat reviews in fact give the most useful advice you could find online and offline.

You can usually find car seat reviews in forums and message boards. Parents and guardians congregate in specific websites or online communities in order to trade information, and sometimes even merchandise. If you would like to find out more about a specific product that isn't covered by the manual, the stick-on warnings, or the FAQs on the manufacturer's official Web site, you would do well to browse through and/or participate in popular online forums - nine times out of ten, you'll get exactly the information you need, and more!

Auction sites like Ebay also feature great user reviews - and the best part is, they don't just have user reviews of specific products, but also of specific dealers. When asking for feedback from other buyers offline, you'll tend to inquire after retailers as well, and ask others questions like: Is this seller reliable? Does this seller allow return or exchange? How much lower does this vendor sell his stuff for, than the other vendors in his trade? When are bargains due? Dealers and buyers are universally considered members of the trading site, and therefore rating systems apply for both. The wary are thus cautioned about bogus buyers and sellers, and the "bad eggs" are weeded out of the system, leaving only reliable contacts behind.

General online stores are a great source of reviews and ratings as well. Amazon.com, the world's largest online store, features a user rating system where people can sign up and leave helpful reviews of specific products, and use the "five-star" rating graphical system in the bargain. The more comprehensive a review is, the more you find out about a product. And yes, even Amazon.com sells child car seats, and friendly buyers leave good reviews, especially for the most popular products in the market!

You should not shy away from other people's opinions, when it comes to looking for the best deal for your money. Child safety restraints for your car are not merely a purchase - they are an investment. And when you need to know what, where, and when to buy your car seats, few things are more helpful than online car seat reviews.