You can now purchase almost any product or service in the world with just a few taps of the screen. While this style of shopping is extremely convenient, it can also be quite expensive. Many people spend much more than they can afford on products they don’t necessarily need. If you love online shopping but would like to cut back on how much you are spending, then take a look at these few tips and tricks for cutting costs.
Use Old Gift Cards
Lexington Law suggests using gift cards in their money saving tips. Most gift cards now come with private account numbers and CVVs that allow you to make purchases over the internet. This is an excellent way to use up gift cards that no longer have much money on them. You should also consider purchasing gift cards for your favorite retailers when they go on sale to save even more money.
Always Search For Coupons And Discount Codes
Searching for discount codes and coupons before making a purchase is a habit that every online shopper should develop. A quick search on sites such as Honey and RetailMeNot could save you quite a bit on a purchase if they have any active codes. Many of these sites keep running lists of digital coupons that can be voted on by users. Depending on the size of your purchase, a quick online search could save you hundreds of dollars.
Create Price Alerts
Some of the leading online retailers now allow shoppers to set price alerts on their favorite items. This is an excellent option for any products or services you don’t need right away. For most e-commerce sites, you will need to navigate to the product you are interested in and then look for a link where you can input your email. There are also third-party websites that track prices and send you alerts for free. When giving your email away, you should always double-check to make sure that the company is legitimate and reputable.
Get To The Checkout And Then Leave
Larger retailers have extremely complex programs that are designed to reach out to customers who almost made purchases but backed out at the last moment. That is why online shoppers often see advertisements for items they have searched for or purchased in the past. After you put all of the products in the shopping cart and give the company your email address, you should then leave the site for a day or two. In many cases, they will send you an email the next day with a discount code.
Work With Customer Service Representatives
Just like brick-and-mortar stores, the vast majority of online retailers have customer service departments to deal with any problems or complaints. These customer service representatives are often given quite a bit of leeway to help you cut your costs. If you are considering purchasing a larger item, then you might want to call customer service first to see if you can get free shipping or a free warranty. These specialists might also offer additional discounts if you have expired coupons or gift cards.
Online shopping has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and many retailers are now looking for ways to score big with their best customers. In addition to these tips and tricks, you should also look carefully at the rest of your budget to determine how much you can reasonably spend on non-essential purchases. Those who simply enjoy the act of making purchases online should consider buying essential products such as groceries instead of new outfits or gadgets.
