9 Tips how not to waste your money while shopping online

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The Internet has opened up a vista of possibilities for both sellers and buyers, but human nature remains the same. Decades of research has gone into how to trigger the impulse buyer in people, hence the fact that supermarket layouts always put snacks and other non-essentials in the front and other “hotspots.”

Search engine and web page optimization does the same thing. Clever content from professional services such as Essay Scholar Advisor can persuade you to take action. You could be spending more than you should when shopping online than you initially intended. Below are 9 simple tips on how not to waste your money when shopping online.

Do a search for the product name

If you receive an offer via email, or see the product link on your favorite social networks, don’t click on the buy button right away. Take the time to do a search of that particular product and see where else it is being offered. You might be surprised at how big the price difference may be.

At the very least, you will know what’s out there if you do a search first before buying. A few minutes spent checking can save you a serious amount of change.

Get the timing right

Buyer research has been honed down to a fine art, so retailers have a pretty good idea of the day and time most people do their online shopping. Retailers have the ability to change their prices according to demand, so at peak periods, the prices tend to be higher. Download an app that monitor prices for you so you get alerts when the price of a product you want is at its lowest. If you frequent Amazon, a good app is CamelCamelCamel.

Play coy

Are you aware that you have a good chance of getting a good deal if you abandon your shopping cart just short of paying for it? Retail sites such as Macy’s and JCPenney monitor the activities of their members, and will most likely send you a special offer or coupon the next day to help you get past the last hurdle. Abandoning your shopping cart also has the added bonus of giving you time to think about whether you want to purchase the items or not.

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Stick to one

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Using one retailer for a large number of purchases in one go may sound counterintuitive, but if you are shopping online, you could save a ton in shipping fees past a certain amount. Amazon is a good example, where you can get free shipping if you buy stuff worth $49 or more.

Compare prices

You may want to check what the price is in-store compared to the online price, Some retailers tack on the shipping costs to the purchase price, and then ship it “free.” That’s not always true, of course, but check anyway.

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Look for promo codes

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Many retailers include a promo code or discount window at checkout where you have to option to fill in. It stands to reason that there might be such things out there you are not aware of. Check out sites such as RetailMeNot or similar that curate current coupon or discount codes from different retailers. You can also doing a search using the name of the online retailer and adding “promo code” or “coupon.”

Use promo codes well

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Some retailers allow you to use more than one promo or coupon for a purchase. You just have to know how to do it. If you have a percentage off, and a cash amount off, use the percentage off first.

Be a stranger

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You might experience a glow when greeted by name by an online retailer, but that may not always be a good thing. Some retailers practice dynamic pricing, This means you might get a price for an item based on your previous history and location. Some say this is a conspiracy theory, but it doesn’t hurt to guard against it. Delete cookies, clear your cache, log out of your social networks, and go incognito if you live in a big city, where the price point is usually higher.

Look for free return shipping

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Most retailers offer full refunds if you don’t like what you get, but many sneak in a return shipping fee. That just sucks. Find retailers that will pay for return shipping and issue full refunds. Good examples of these are Macy’s and Amazon. Note any exceptions and conditions, though.

Customer may be king, but you don’t have to pay a king’s ransom for your online purchase. Follow these tips to save a bundle. Did we leave anything out? Be a pal, and let us know below!

BIO

Stacey Marone is a freelance writer for essay scholaradvisor writing and blogger. She likes exploring new cultures, languages and gathering interesting facts. In her free time, she also does volunteer work and organizes some activities for children. You can follow her on twitter.