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8 Online Shopping Hacks You Need To Know!

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may receive a small commission. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

June 3, 2016

3 Jun
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There are hacks for everything, but did you know about these online shopping hacks?  These are must-know tricks if you want to save money and get the best deals every time you shop!

finger on computer shopping online

While brick-and-mortar stores still account for most shopping purchases, almost 70% of adult consumers shop online at least once a month, according to the global market research firm Mintel.

If you’re like me, you love the convenience of shopping in your PJs. But how do you find the best deals? The following tips will help you score the very best price on everything, from books to the shelves that hold them.

ONLINE SHOPPING HACKS THAT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY

1. Do Your Homework

To make sure you’re getting the best price, use comparison sites like Price Grabber or Yahoo Shopping before deciding on a website. Just enter the name of an item and all the retailers that carry it, and the store with the best price should magically appear.

 

2. Get Dynamic

If you have the patience, watch how a product’s price fluctuates over the course of a week or more. Many sites use “dynamic” or “surge” pricing, which can cause prices to rise and fall due to demand and other factors. Rumor has it some sites even price items based on your browsing habits, so try clearing your search history before shopping.

An easy way to keep an eye on prices at your favorite e-tailers like Amazon, Newegg and more is with price alerts like the ones provided by Slickdeals. Just create one for a specific item, and you’ll receive an email if the price drops below a certain amount. Then, when the price is right, pounce.

 

3. Look out for Coupon

Once you know which retailers have what you want at the lowest price, see if you can get an even lower price by looking for coupons on sites or apps like Dealnews and FatWallet. You may not find a discount or free shipping offer to apply to your purchase, but it’s worth a try.

 

4. Give a Gift to Yourself

Check sites like GiftCardGranny, Raise and Cardpool to look for discounted digital gift cards for the place where you plan to shop. You may save anywhere from 2% to 30% on your purchase.

 

5. Become a New Customer

If you have not shopped on a particular site before, you probably have a “new customer” discount coming your way, which will pop up when you visit the site. And whether you are a new customer or not, familiarize yourself with the store’s return policies. While most e-tailers accept returns, some won’t do it for free, so it’s good to know the rules just in case.

 

6. Let It Be

If you can bear to wait, try leaving your item in the shopping cart for a day. The e-tailer might send you an email offering a discount on that item. Or you might find a discount in your social feeds. Be mindful that if the product’s already on sale, it could sell out while you wait.

 

7. Ship Items Free

Try to avoid paying for shipping if you can help it. Some sites offer free shipping all the time, and some have relatively low spending thresholds, like $25. Rather than pay $7.95 or so for shipping, consider adding a low-priced (but useful) filler item like a pair of socks to score free shipping.

If you shop at Amazon but don’t have Prime, try the helpful Filler Item finder for suggestions on what to buy to reach their $35 free shipping threshold.

 

8. Join the Club

If there are sites you like to shop, sign up for their mailing list so you can be privy to sales and other special offers. Some websites even send discounts on birthdays or offer bonuses for referring a friend. Following your favorite online brands on social media will also keep you abreast of sales.

 

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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.

Trae Bodge GravatarTrae Bodge is an accomplished lifestyle journalist, TV presenter, spokesperson, and educator, specializing in beauty, tech, apps, toys, gift guides and smart shopping.She has appeared as an expert on dozens of TV shows and radio networks, including Today, Rachael Ray Show, Steve Harvey, Extra, Inside Edition, CNN, Reuters, CNBC.com, Better. Tv, NBC’s New York Live, WINS, WNEW, Sirius Radio and numerous FOX, ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates. Trae has been featured as a beauty tastemaker in Elle, Redbook, InStyle and Essence, and she has bylined articles for USNews.com, ThisThatBeauty, XOJAne.com, Mainstreet.com, Steveharvey.com, and AllYou.com. More by Trae Bodge.
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I'm Tracie! Several years ago, my husband and I found a way to work ourselves out of more than $35,000 in debt. As a result of our journey, we now help families learn to do the same. I share my tips on life, family and finances - to help others achieve this same goal of living a debt free life! Learn more about me and my family HERE.
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