Know These 5 Shopping Tips & Tricks to Reap More Benefit

Online shopping is now the preferred way to shop for most consumers. It is convenient and easily accessible. You do not need to step out of the house to buy the things you need as they are delivered right to your doorstep. The convenience of online shopping has made impulse buyers out of many consumers. You have to be smart and follow these shopping tricks to reap the benefits of saving money in the process.

Top 5 Shopping Tricks to Save Money

Consumers are savvier these days – they are always on the lookout for the best deals and ways to get more value for their money. If you are the same, then you have come to the right place. If you can’t get enough of shopping, follow these tricks so you can save money.

1. Use Online Coupons and Promo Codes.

The oldest trick in the book is to use online coupon codes. You can check out coupon sites to get codes you can use when shopping at your favorite websites. These codes can save you a few dollars or up to half the original price, depending on the season.

Another way that you can get promo codes is to subscribe to your favorite websites’ email list. By subscribing to them, you will be notified if they have promotions, and you can use the codes to shop at their website.

To use a coupon code, you must add it to your cart upon checkout. The corresponding savings will be applied to your purchased items.

2. Keep an eye out for free shipping.

Shipping costs are one of the biggest pains associated with online shopping. When you are shopping online, always look for websites that offer free shipping for their items. If that is not available, check the minimum amount threshold that would qualify for free shipping.

Do take note that you don’t need to buy items you don’t need just so you can enjoy free shipping. Instead, you can purchase all the items you need in one checkout so you can save on shipping fees (instead of ordering a few items at different occasions). It’s a smart idea to do your shopping in one go so you can save on shipping fees (or get the free shipping).

3. Follow brands and influencers online for exclusive discounts.

Brands typically take advantage of their social media platform to offer exclusive discounts to their followers. You can use this opportunity to get additional savings when you shop for their items. Often, influencers will share exclusive coupons that you can use for shopping through the website.

If you are going to shop from the said brand or website anyway, then you might as well take advantage of this added discount.

Another tip for getting discounts from brands? Sign up for email alerts. If you are serious about shopping and saving money, then you have to live with receiving lots of emails so you don’t miss any promo offers and coupon codes. If you don’t want to flood your personal email with promotional emails from online stores, then you can create a dedicated email for this.

4. Take advantage of cashback offers.

Aside from seasonal discounts and coupon codes, cashback offers are another way that brands encourage loyalty among their followers. When you shop, cashback will be awarded to your account that is valid the next time you shop from the website.

The exact amount of the cashback will vary depending on the details of the promotion. However, it is still something that you can take advantage of.

5. Leave some of the items in your cart for a few days.

Shopping cart abandonment is a common e-commerce problem that brands and online shops are doing their best to reduce. Therefore, they employ advanced algorithms that enable them to track if there are any items left behind in your cart. In order to entice shoppers to complete the checkout process, they will email you a unique discount code or offer an automatic discount on the item.

It is one of the easiest shopping tricks that you can use if you want to get additional discounts on an item that you are already intent on buying.

Practical Shopping Tricks to Live By

The aforementioned shopping tricks apply to shopping that is done online. However, there are also other practical tips that you can observe if you are buying locally. You can save money when you follow these tips:

• Don’t buy something just because it is on sale. For example, a $100 bag is on sale for $60. You did not save $40 if you bought it, but you spent $60 on something you didn’t need or plan on buying.
• Shop with a list. It is a good idea to keep track of what you need instead of being tempted by what you find on the shelves.
• Set a budget – and stick to it. If possible, bring cash when shopping so you have to stay within the limit of your cash.
• Shop alone. When you shop with someone, you can get easily distracted. But if you shop alone, you are more likely to stick to your list.
• Buy in bulk. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. If you are going to need something for a long time, then you might as well buy it in bulk. It could also save you a few trips to the grocery or mall.
• Buy out of season. If you don’t need something that urgently, you can get great deals when you buy them off-season. For example, if you buy fall and winter clothes during the summer, you can expect major savings on them. Shops offer these items at huge discounts as they need to clear the inventory for the in-season items.
• Don’t let the salesperson talk you up. Remember that it is their job to convince you to buy something.

If you love to shop, then you have to be smart about how you do it. These shopping tricks are guaranteed to let you indulge in some retail therapy while saving money at the same time.