The modern world we live in is a technological wonder that delivers deals from around the globe, direct to our computers. Shopping online has exploded into a massive global industry that has expanded the competition ten-fold, delivering better deals for the consumer. How do we get the best deals online? Here are four strategies that will deliver great results and save you a few extra bucks when shopping online.
1.Check out coupon sites – Many businesses are using discount coupon sites such as spreets.com and cudo.com to sell discount services and excess stock. This provides a great opportunity for the consumers like you or I to take advantages of these discounts without leaving our homes. Daily deals can save you over 50% on services and items without the decrease in quality. It is a great way to grab a bargain online without even leaving your home. You can subscribe to most of these sites to receive daily deals via email, making it even simpler to save a few coins.
2.Ebay and Amazon – Probably the most popular and well known sites on the internet for grabbing a bargain and shopping. EBay and Amazon are virtual marketplaces for grabbing new and used items online at bargain basement prices. Often you will get the exact same product as that sold in the store for a much lower price tag and delivered straight to your door. When bidding on Auction items try to watch the item until it is near the end of the auction, then pop in your bid and try to snatch the item. This will stop the price being driven up too early and will allow you the best chance at a great price.
3.Shop around – I know it sounds kind of funny, but you can actually shop around on the internet. In fact, that is one of the best attributes that search engines like Google have, the ability to search. Make sure you check the manufacturers recommended retail price and compare it against the online retailers you are browsing; this will limit the chance of buying an overpriced item. You can easily scan and browse a multitude of stores within a few minutes without even leaving your home. This will allow you to get the best deal at the best time.
4.Combine shipping – Often shipping can be one of the most expensive items when purchasing online, sometimes negating all savings on the original item. The best way to alleviate the costs of shipping is to combine the shipping on your items if possible. This will give you a cheaper shipping cost per item and save you more money, so you can buy more items! Some sites will not automatically calculate combined shipping, so if necessary shoot them an email and ask them to combine the shipping costs, most companies will do this gladly.
Shopping online is one of the easiest ways to shop and can provide a great way to get bargain prices. Always use reputable sellers, use PayPal or another safe guard when purchasing items and follow the strategies above to save some dough!
Allan has been an active contributor in frugal forums and blogs. Allan especially enjoys writing about online shopping and how to get great deals and bargains.
