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96% of Americans shop online. If that statistic weren’t staggering enough, at least 51% of Brits said they also preferred to shop online. This is to both avoid crowds and to get the best deals.
As the consumer, online shopping affords you the luxury of finding the best deals and making an informed purchase before handing over your hard earned cash.
So, how do you find the best online shopping deals?
In this blog post, we will go over some of the ways you can plan your purchases, so that you will always leave the store having paid the lowest possible price.
Comparison shopping and online shopping
This may sound incredibly obvious, but people often forget to compare prices before going shopping. ‘Comparison Shopping’ is exactly this: comparing stores for the best deals.
This can be done in a variety of ways. You can check some of your favorite retail outlets online, looking for the item you are interested in. Often, online stores will list the price of an item, and then also highlight if there is a different ‘in-store’ price.
Another way you can do this, is by typing the item you are looking for into Google. If you then click on the ‘shopping’ tab at the top, you will get a list of stores selling that particular item along with the various prices those stores offer.
If you are not exactly sure what you are looking for, you can type keywords, such as ‘pink t-shirt’, or ‘sleeveless top’. This will help you locate your item much faster.
Use a ‘Third-Party Comparison’ add-on
There are several third-party add-ons that allow you to comparison shop and to check prices, without having to leave the site you are on. When you are on the website, simply run the third-party add-on and it will find the best prices for you. These add-ons are quick to install on your browser, and they can be used very easily.
A ‘Third-Party Code Finder’
Recently, code finding third-party apps have taken Internet shopping by storm, and they are a great way to see if the website you are on has any ‘secret codes’.
What is a store’s ‘secret code’? Most websites will have codes that offer shoppers discounts, but you may not know them because you are not part of their online club, or you haven’t been given a voucher.
These third-party code finders work similarly to comparison shoppers. You add them to your browser, and when you are about to check out, run the code finder, and it will test all of the codes in the database. It will then use the most appropriate one, always providing you with the code that gives you the most money off.
Sometimes, these third-party apps can make websites believe that you are spamming the site, and this can stop them from functioning, depending on the software they use. If this is the case, you will sometimes have to reload the site in order to find the best code.
Use ‘Comparison Websites’
Travel websites have comparison websites that may allow you to see the price for a flight or hotel across many different platforms. There are a few comparison websites that work this way for retail, but travel is the most popular industry for this type of website.
One catch: some of these websites will raise the price if they see you are looking at the same route or hotel too often. To avoid this, open the site in an ‘incognito browser’. This way, the site now registers you as a completely new user.
Coupons
Coupon codes exist both in real and virtual worlds, and they save you money either way.
If you shop at a particular store frequently, save the coupons and print-outs that they give you.
Sometimes, they will give you coupons that work online, offering you big discounts.
There are also websites that list coupons for retail websites. These work similarly to a third-party app, but instead, you will have to enter the coupon information manually. This can be time-consuming, but fortunately, the sites often tell you how much luck people have had with that code, and also if it is still valid.
Free shipping
When looking for a good deal, don’t discount shipping. Often, you will find an item for $5, with an additional $4 shipping charge. Of course, this looks tempting because the item is only $5, but if you find the item for $8 shipped, this is actually a better deal because you will knock off the shipping cost.
Many stores will also offer you free shipping if you join their club, often with no charge, or if you spend more than a certain amount on their website. If they offer free returns, it can be worth the extra money to get the free shipping.
Finding online shopping deals
In today’s Internet-savvy world, finding online shopping deals isn’t particularly challenging. With a little bit of know-how, you will find that you can keep your wallet full, while still buying the luxuries you would like.
Since online shopping allows you to buy items very conveniently, there is nothing better than finding a great deal without leaving your own home.
If you are interested in saving even more money, read about our RebateKey program. Once you have signed up, you will get access to our great deals, as well as generous money-back payments on future items you purchase. Check it out now!
