Shopping online is a convenient way to get the items that we want and need without having to take a trip to a physical store and queue up at the cashier, but that’s not all. You can score great deals and discounts online, letting you save money as well. Here are five clever ways to cut your online shopping costs so you can buy more for less.
Hunt for coupons and stack ‘em up
Coupon sites have plenty of discount codes you can use on your online purchases to bring down the cost of shopping. Some codes also include free shipping, so be sure to search for coupons before buying. You can also sign up for retailers’ newsletters so you can receive special offers and free coupon codes every time there’s a promo.
Some retailers allow customers to use more than one coupon code for each transaction—stacking multiple codes will definitely give you bigger discounts on online purchases. Pro tip: create a new email account that will be dedicated to your online shopping so your primary or work email doesn’t get flooded with product updates and discounts.
Shop around and on the right day
Compare prices from various vendors so you can be sure to have the best deal. There are also websites that allow you to check online prices against listed in-store prices. Take time to research and shop around, and when you’ve decided on which products to buy, set aside a time on a weekday to make your purchase. Why a weekday? Well, most people do their online shopping on weekends, especially on Sundays, and retailers take advantage of this and raise their prices then. For best results, shop online on Wednesdays, when most stores roll out special deals and discounts.
Look for free shipping.
Many retailers offer free shipping for items totaling a specific amount. If the total cost of the items in your cart falls short of the minimum, consider other items that you may need in the future, such as a holiday or birthday present. Some companies also have free shipping on the get-go, so be on the lookout and take advantage of it.
Don’t check out yet.
If you don’t need a particular item right away, leave it in your cart and check back in the next few days to see if it goes on sale or if a new coupon pops up. Leaving items in your cart also lets retailers know that although you are interested in their product, something is holding you back from making the purchase. This may prompt them to offer you a discount to get you to take the plunge. Allotting a day or two between adding items to your cart and actually paying for them also gives you more time to mull things over so you don’t end up wasting money on impulse purchases.
Ask for price-change refunds.
Sometimes it happens: you buy something you really need right away, only to see a few hours later that the item is now on sale. Good thing that some retailers will gladly issue a refund for the price difference. Just remember to contact them directly within the set number of days specified in their refund policy. There are also some credit card companies that offer price protection on online purchases, so be sure to check them out just in case.