Online shopping is bigger then ever, and it doesn’t take a genius to see why. Regretfully, not all folks know the ins and outs that makes it work. Continue reading for the best information and advice from seasoned online shoppers.
Pay special attention to online sales that can start in the middle of the week. Online retailers often try to get a jump on the weekend retail store sales by starting their promotions midweek. Some simple research online could yield great middle-of-the week sales.
To help protect your credit, use only one credit card for online purchases. This will help you quickly track your spending habits when the credit card statement comes in the mail. If you notice any charges that you did not make, call the credit card company immediately and report it to them.
When shopping online, always try to keep in mind the price of shipping. Many sites offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount. In the event that you do have to pay shipping, make sure that it is going to fit into your budget after you’ve added everything to your cart. Having a full cart only to find out you cannot afford the shipping is never a fun experience.
Sign up for your favorite online stores’ newsletters. Many times online stores will send out daily, weekly or monthly newsletters with special sales, discounts and deals. If you like to save money, you might be able to score some great deals on items you were going to purchase anyway.
Look for major online retailer sales in the middle of the week. With physical locations, you tend to see more major sales happen at the end of the week like Fridays. In order to compete with those days, many online retailers like pushing their sales up a few days. Try keeping an eye on major online retailer sites for sales on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
If you are a big fan of shopping online, make Tuesday your day to look for bargains. It’s an industry fact that most sites post new merchandise and offer discounts on this day of the week. Although you might be inclined to spend on Fridays or Mondays according to your budget, Tuesday should be the cheapest.
When shopping online, always stop to read product reviews. Other customer’s reviews are one of your biggest assets. They will tell you whether clothing sizes run small or large, if there are any common issues with a product, or if it isn’t quite what the website describes. Taking these reviews into account could save you some big headaches later on.
Many of us have a favorite store – are you following your favorite store on Facebook and Twitter? If not, you should be! Companies often announce special offers or sales via social media sites, and by checking their Facebook page or Twitter account regularly, you may find some good deals that you otherwise would have missed out on.
A lot of sites specialize in comparison shopping. These sites do not directly sell products but provide shoppers with a detailed list of different stores offering an item as well as the prices. You should use this tool to do some comparison shopping before deciding where to purchase the product you need.
Know that when an item says it’s refurbished, it may also mean surplus inventory. If you find a refurbished item online, review its description to see if it was overstock or something that was repaired. A good way to get a deal is to find surplus or refurbished items.
A number of online retailers will gift you with coupon codes in exchange for signing up for email lists or adding them on a social media site. It just takes a little time to subscribe to a newsletter and click “like” on a Facebook page, but the rewards include future deals.
If you’re going to shop online at a bunch of different places, you may think it’s a good idea to use the same password on them all. Keep things very complicated to increase your shield of protection. If you think you may have trouble remembering your passwords, store them in a secure location.
Use your credit card when shopping online. Credit cards offer you more financial protection than other forms of payment such as cash or checks. If something goes wrong with your transaction you will have the power to dispute the charges or stop payment. Moreover, if your card is stolen, you will only be liable for a portion of the charges made to the card.
Sometimes the best deals materialize at seasons’ end. Much the same way as conventional stores try to clear out old merchandise, online stores want to accomplish the same goal. So, the prices will be much less.
Whenever you plan to make a purchase, check out customer reviews first. Even if the website you are buying from doesn’t offer reviews, check a site like Amazon to see what others are saying. If you buy an item which has been reviewed poorly, you likely will have the same results.
If you have a big ticket item you’d like to purchase, and can wait a little while to buy it, start checking limited time offer websites like Woot. These sites frequently offer sought after items like televisions and tablets at massively discounted prices. As long as you’re patient, you can save hundreds of dollars.
Most people have shopped online at some point. However, many people, due to a lack of knowledge, limit their online shopping experiences. The information above will help you see why shopping online is wonderful.
