Use these tips to find the best deals so you can save money!
Shopping options online are endless—you have clothes, shoes, electronics, books, pet care, furniture, food, and so much more to choose from! Pretty much everything you need is available. Online shopping gives you the convenience of not having to go to the store and saves you valuable time. There’s also the fact that there’s an incredible number of deals and promotions that are available year-round. You just have to know where to look. Here are some tips for finding the best deals when online shopping.
Shop with Free Shipping
Unfortunately, free shipping is not as common as you might think which makes international shopping on US-based stores quite expensive. That is why it is very important to shop on sites that offer free shipping to US addresses. When you get free shipping, you can save the money or use it to upgrade your item to the better model. That is all possible when you sign up for a Shipito account and have your packages sent to your new US address at one of our warehouses. Sites like Amazon.com even have membership options with 2-day free shipping ensuring you get your items that much faster.
Compare Prices
If you want to find the best deals online, you’ll have to compare prices in various places. The good news is that you can save time and effort by using sites or browser extensions that let you know if a product you’re looking at is priced less on another site. A browser extension we really like is called Honey. Simply install the extension on your browser and Honey will automatically tell you when you have the best price or recommend where to find it. Honey even finds current promo codes for you and gives you cash back on your purchases.
Use Discounted Gift Cards
A great way to save money on online shopping is to use discounted gift cards instead of buying directly from the seller. By buying gift cards at a lower price, you can typically save 5% or more on your online shopping spree with big name retailers or small merchants. Check out raise.com to see what we are talking about. Currently, they are offering a $10 discount if you spend $100 giving you 10% savings on already discounted prices.
Follow Stores on Social Media
Chances are online stores are going to post upcoming or ongoing sales and promotions on their social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. They might also offer promo codes and exclusive discounts to followers. Ultimately, they want you to purchase, so they’ll let their followers know before everyone else.
Sign Up for Their Newsletter
Many sites have sign up forms in their footers or popup windows that offer various promotions—this is when the real savings come in. All you need to do is give them your email address and you will often get a 10% off promo code or free shipping. This also ensures you are in their system to receive various email discounts in the future.
Leave Items in Your Cart
Not buying an item right away and leaving it in your shopping cart sometimes leads to the retailer sending you a follow-up message with a savings offer. Similar products and new offers also appear when you revisit these items.
Most importantly, leaving items in your cart helps you contemplate which items you really need to buy. Save yourself from impulse buying and let the best deals come to you! Many retailers will send you an email begging you to come back and finish your purchase within a couple minutes.
Use Coupons and Promo Codes
When using coupons and promo codes with sales, you can truly maximize your savings. You can find these by using apps, browser extensions (like Honey mentioned above), websites, or simply Googling them. It’ll take a few minutes, but it’ll be worth it.
Buy in Bulk
Product bundles let you save a couple of bucks compared to purchasing single items. For instance, if you have a go-to bath soap or a favorite shampoo that you never stray from, try buying them in packs of three or in bundles. You’re bound to buy them eventually so grab the chance to save when you get them in bulk. Membership stores like Costco and Samsclub online have the best deals on bulk items.
Time Your Purchase
Waiting to purchase something can likely save you a lot. For instance, clothes usually get a discounted price during end-of-season sales, so that’s the best time to purchase them. The same is the case with old models of electronics and appliances. They typically slash down the price to make room for newer items. Another opportunity for great deals on popular items is during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales—you can save over half the price during these types of sales. Using a site like https://camelcamelcamel.com/, allows you to see when products are cheapest. You can even sign up for email alerts that tell you when prices drop.
Find a Substitute
Some items on your wish list may be too expensive to purchase because they are too bulky or heavy; that’s why finding an alternative is a great option for you to save. Think about the reason why you want to buy that item and use that to find a substitute. For instance, if you’re planning on buying a highchair for your baby for them to use during mealtimes, try looking for a booster that you can just place on a chair that will work just about the same but be much cheaper to ship internationally.
Chat with the Seller
Most of the time, there are available discounts and ongoing promotions you don’t know about. At times, looking for them can be a daunting task. One thing you could do is ask the seller outright if they have discounts, you might be missing out on. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Let Others Shop for You
Your friends or family members may be eligible for some discounts that you aren’t. Some retailers have special discounts for partner organizations, companies, and programs.
Have you heard of dynamic pricing? It’s when retailers vary the prices of their products depending on the location of the buyer and even their search history. The next time you’re online shopping, ask a friend to check a certain product’s price on their mobile phone. You might be surprised at how much you can save by taking the time to check.
Final Tip
Since online shopping was created, it’s been one of the most convenient and efficient options for buying items internationally. It allows us to browse tons of products all over the world in just one setting without leaving our homes. Even making payments is a breeze with many payment options for international buyers.
Here’s one last tip! If you want to start buying items online and ship them internationally, sign up for a Shipito account today and have your items sent directly to your location. You will immediately receive a US address that you can start using at checkout. With Shipito, you can also save up to 80% on shipping costs by consolidating your items into one package. Shopping online at multiple stores has never been easier.
When items aren’t available in your country or when you just want to buy something from a US-based retailer, the tips shared in this article and signing up for a Shipito account are the perfect combination to save you money. Now all you need to do is go shopping. Enjoy!
