It's pretty much common knowledge these days that you can find some amazing deals shopping online vs. shopping the brick-and-mortar stores. What a lot of people don't tell you is that there's an art to scoring the best deal possible via the internet.
Here are the some of the tricks I've picked up trying to hunt down coveted items while still watching the bottom line:
1. Know Exactly What You WantWhile I've had great success trolling the interwebs to satisfy my random shopping urges, I find that I get the best deals when there's a particular item I'm looking for because I can do a more pointed search. So know all the details of the item you want: manufacturer, model number, color etc. Researching products online and reading user reviews is a great way to narrow down the choices to specific models.
2. Comparison ShopNext you're going to want to find out the general price range for your product. This is good for two reasons really: it'll help you spot the good deals AND can tip you off to a scam. Remember, if the price seems too-good-to-be-true, it probably is.
The simplest method is to just Google whatever you're looking for- you'll get plenty of hits that include the prices. But there are websites that exist solely for the purpose of comparison shopping. These include:
Amazon is great for this too. While it's not an exhaustive search, it pulls in enough retailers that I've often found the lowest prices there.
3. Use CouponsThe online version of coupons are retailer-specific codes entered during the checkout process. Besides a simple Google search (like "Banana Republic coupon codes"), there are tons of coupon sites out there such as:
4. Utilize Loyalty ProgramsPlenty of retailers have free loyalty programs or newsletter subscriptions. You just have to enter your email address and you'll start receiving coupons in your inbox. A lot of these will also provide an up-front discount just for signing up. Remember to pay attention to the fine print though- you don't want to get stuck paying for a rewards program.
5. Know the Stores' PoliciesA lot of stores have price-matching policies where they'll match competitors' prices. Others have price adjustment policies where they'll adjust the price if you buy something only to find it marked down the next day. The time limits are usually within 2 weeks, but it varies. Being knowledgeable about store policies is a great way to save a little dough.
6. Don't Forget About ShippingBe aware of shipping costs- shipping is one of those charges that can really creep up on you. While a particular site may have a lower price up front, it can end up costing you more in the long run.
Plenty of sites have free shipping (e.g.
Piperlime,
Endless) or free shipping if you spend a certain amount (
Amazon).
Also, a lot of other stores will do free or discounted shipping to their physical stores. All you have to do is pick up your item at the store when it comes in.
Do you do any of these things when shopping online? Do you have any other tricks you use?
Dollarish.com
Comments (3)
I make sure to never buy pornography online. There are plenty of free sites available.
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don't forget ebay.com; many items are amazingly new and cheap with free shipping
and if you're an avid online shopper like me, Amazon has a great membership deal where you can sign up for what's called an Amazon Prime account and get free 2-day shipping on practically any items (Prime accounts are available for trial, but it's only 80$/year)