All The Frugal Ladies Personal finance with a feminine touch
The growing popularity of online shopping has definitely influenced our consumer experience. Once upon a time we actually had to get off the sofa and out of our house, compare between a set number of shops and settle for the lowest price. We only got discounts during holidays and season clearances. The birth of online shopping has given way to lower prices and discounts all year round.
But even though “seventy two percent of Millennials research and shop their options online before going to a store“, there are many online shopping hacks that many consumers don’t know about. Here is our pick of the top five hacks for saving money while shopping online.
Shop on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
The best days to shop online are apparently Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Statistically, these are the most popular days for sales and discounts. Avoid shopping on weekends; this is the time when most people do their online shopping so prices tend to stay high.
Reach Out To Ask For Discounts
Don’t ignore the online chat box that most e-shops have on their sites. You can use it to request a discount directly from their representative. If that doesn’t work, email, tweet or facebook them, and ask them directly for a discount. Most PR employees and representatives have access to good deals and may be able to help you out.
Leave Item in Shopping Cart
This hack almost always works for us. We like to leave an item in our shopping cart without completing our purchase. After a while, that particular e-shop or brand reaches out to us by email, offering a special discount. Just make sure you’ve already opened an account so they have your contact info and that you hit the “contact me about sales and special offers” button when signing up.
Use Discounted Gift Cards
Even when items you want aren’t on sale, you can always get them for less by using discounted gift cards. Sites like Zeek buy unwanted gift cards and then sell them at an even lower price. You can usually save 10-15% on the item you want, and you don’t even have to wait for the brand or e-shop to hold a sale.
Save On Delivery Fees
Delivery prices are usually a real shock; sometimes they can cost even more than the item you want! All the discounts and hacks in the world won’t be able to help if you have a high delivery fee to pay. But there are ways around it. For instance, you can sign up to a free shipping site that works with the top e-stores you shop at, and, for a small monthly fee, will deliver your items. They also offer complete price protection and double warranty on anything you buy. There is a free trial period too so you can check it out first. This hack is great for avid online shoppers who purchase a great deal of items online and is worth it in the long run. Or, you can save on shipping fees by opting to pick up your items from a store or locker after making the purchase. Most retailers offer this option.
Create Accounts From Multiple Emails
When promoting clearances and discounts, many retailers will send their customers coupons to encourage them to buy items that are on sale. Make sure you’ve signed up to this mailing list from multiple email addresses so you can receive the same coupon over and over again. By accumulating more coupons this way you will be able to receive multiple discount codes to use at your favorite e-store.
