As the economy continues to tank, retailers continue to struggle - and many are going out of business. , K-B Toys, Linens n' Things and Expo Design Centers, a spinoff of Home Depot, are only some of the stores in the process of closing. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, 148,000 stores closed in 2008, and 73,000 are expected to close in the first half of 2009. Malls in general are also in trouble; many are turning into office buildings; others are closing for good. One immediate impact on customers: there are liquidation sales everywhere you look! And let's be honest, when you see that sign in the window that says: "Going Out of Business, Everything Must Go!" you are tempted to go in a poke around for a deal. You automatically assume there are bargains to be found. "Liquidation Sale" seem to translate to "Best Sale of Your Life!" But buyer beware, Vera says. These sales are often not as great as they initially appear.

To understand why, it helps to know how these sales work. Many large chains will bring in liquidation specialists: companies appointed to help sell off a struggling retailer's assets. Often, liquidators do the job for a percentage of profits from the sales, giving them incentive to get the highest prices possible. In other words, while they want to move inventory out the door, their main goal is to earn as much money as possible to pay creditors - banks, manufacturers and others - to whom the company going out of business owes money, as well as to turn a profit themselves. Here, specifically, are five things to keep in mind when shopping liquidation sales:

1. Initial Sale Prices No Steal Liquidation sales can last for weeks, or even months. Circuit City's, for instance, is scheduled to last through March. Stores know that the minute they announce a liquidation sale they will get a flood of customers. So in the early days of the sale they typically only discount items a token 10 percent or so. Even worse, many stores will *raise* prices back to full (from sales that might have been happening when stores were trying to prevent the inevitable). Vera visited a Circuit City right down the street from our studio and noted the prices of 13 different items. We then headed online and to the phones to compare these prices to other major retailers. While Circuit City did have lower prices on many items, they were not *significantly* lower ... in many cases, they were just a few dollars less than what we found at or on Amazon. However, we did find some products there were MORE expensive at the liquidation sale. For example:

SAMSUNG 52-IN LCD TV Circuity City $2159.99 Best Buy $1599

GARMIN GPS Circuit City $479.99 Amazon.com $266.48

ACER 19-in LCD MONITOR Circuit City $161 Office Depot $139.99

The message here: comparison shop! If you have an iPhone there's an application that will actually do this for you, and of course several web sites do this as well.

2. Watch for Bogus Bargains Sometimes liquidators bring in outside goods or additional inventory to supplment what the retailer has in stock …the idea is to sell as much as possible. These are items that never had a "regular" price because they were never in the store, so you're getting 50, 60% off a price they never charged! This is deceptive, and even illegal in some states, but doesn't stop anyone from doing it. How do you know if an item is part of this additional inventory? Vera says to check the price tag to see if it looks like the majority of the other tags in the store. If there's a different typeface, format, color, etc, you're probably lookig at excess inventory that's been brought in for the sale. This kind of thing is more likely to happen at electronic, jewelry and carpet stores. Something else to keep in mind ... electronics that are brought in as part of this excess inventory are often reconditioned but sold as brand-new items.

3. Remember That Sales Are Final When shopping liquidation sales, realize that sales are almost always final. Make sure all of the necessary parts and accessories are in the box before you leave the store, don't just assume that all is in order. Also, if buying electronics, look for products that come with a manufacturer's warranty. If something breaks down the road the retailer won't be of any help to you, but the manufacturer itself will have you covered.

4. Pay with a Credit Card Again, because you can't return something to a liquidation sale, try to pay with your credit card when possible. If you wind up wanting your money back and your card issuer agrees that you deserve it, the charge will be removed from your bill and the credit card company will fight the charge itself. Also, be aware that in the final days of their liquidation sales some stores won't allow you to pay with anything except cash.

5. No Knowledgeable Sales Help If you are shopping for a sweater, chances are you don't need too much help. But if you're trying to buy a piece of jewlery or electronics, you might want to speak with a salesperson who can tell you more about the product. Unfortunately, the liquidation specialists who come in to run these sales typically don't know much about the items they are selling. If you're looking for some knowledge or insight, you're better off shopping elsewhere.