15 money-saving hacks that every expert online shopper should know
These days, shopping without leaving the comfort of your couch has become the norm.
According to Fortune, shoppers made 51% of their purchases online in 2016 alone, which was a 3% increase from the previous year. Since the number of online shoppers continues to grow annually, knowing how, when, and where to shop to get the best deal can put you at a huge advantage.
The trick getting the best online shopping experience is knowing all of the hacks and even more, actually applying them.
Search for an online coupon first.
Finding a good deal when shopping online is a shopper’s dream, right? Well, Lindsay Sakraida, Director of Content Marketing with DealNews told INSIDER it can definitely get better.
"Often stores will give you a coupon to use on your first order,” she said. "Alternatively, Google 'new user coupon' and the store name to see if there are any floating around. It's an easy way to get 15% off your total."
You can also check sites like promocodes.com to find good deals or install the Chrome extension Honey to find promo codes.
Shop with a credit card over a debit card.
Nick Johns, technological and digital safety investigator at Consumer Safety, told INSIDER that when shopping online, shoppers should opt to use a credit card over a debit card.
"There are many differences between the two types of cards, but one of the most profound is in how fraud protection is handled," he said. "The Fair Credit Billing Act limits liability for fraudulent charges on credit cards to $50, with no liability if the card is reported stolen prior to any charges being made. The act also limits fraudulent charge liability on debit cards to $50, but it requires that a report be filed with your financial institution within two days. If you file your report between two and 60 days after the fraudulent charges are made, liability can increase to $500 — with no upper limit past 60 days."
Johns also noted that most credit cards offer the benefit of cash back rewards.
Shop on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
If you thought to purchase a flight on certain days was the only hack to buying online, think again. Retail and Personal Finance Expert at TopCashback.com Natasha Rachel Smith told INSIDER that there are certain days you should be visiting retailer sites, too.
"The most popular days for retailers to roll out special perks and discounts is Wednesday through Friday," she said. "Take advantage of special deals like free shipping and BOGO sales during those days."
Use a rebate site to help you maximize your spending.
Oftentimes, shoppers go straight to the site to purchase without thinking of other ways that they can save. Over the past few years though, rebate sites have been designed to help you get money back after the purchase.
"The process is easy and free," Smith told INSIDER. "Not only will you earn money by shopping, but you can also save more with special coupons and deals available to all members. The process is easy and beneficial to anyone who loves shopping online."
Some rebate sites like topcashback.com and Ebates offer a referral bonus, too.
Use in-store pickup to avoid shipping costs.
One small hack that I picked up over the years of being an avid shopper is to utilize the in-store pick-up option.
Though it may not work for every store that has an online component, stores that offer that option will help you save on shipping costs and help you to avoid packing your cart with unnecessary pieces just to achieve the free shipping minimum.
Talk to the online specialist.
Another bonus hack that has worked for me in the past is to talk to the online specialist when shopping. Many people usually ignore the fact that there is always someone online that you can chat with, but I’ve found that it can provide more benefit than you think.
From getting more information on an item that interests you to sometimes getting your shipping cost waived or getting a coupon code, the online specialist — if available — is there to help you.
Use a price comparison tool.
Comparing prices on pieces from your favorite retailers isn’t something that you have to do on your own now. Using a price comparison tool when shopping can do all the hard work for you.
"Just because something is 'on sale' doesn’t mean it’s not cheaper elsewhere," President of Priceblink.com Karl Quist told INSIDER. "Use a price comparison tool like PriceBlink or Camelizer to make sure you’re getting the best price before stepping into the store."
Wait a day before you buy.
As a lifestyle expert, one of the things I always ask my friends (and even myself at times) is: “do you really need that?” When online shopping, we have a tendency to over-shop — especially if there’s a sale going on or if there’s a minimum that we need to get to in order to receive free shipping.
If that’s something you can relate to, instead of buying everything you’ve put in your basket, close out and wait a day before you make any purchasing decisions. Once you’ve slept on it, you’ll realize that you most likely won’t need five colors of that same sweater.
Keep track of what you purchased for cash back.
Another way to save when shopping online is to keep your receipts so that you can get cash back if the item goes on sale.
"Many retailers will refund your money if the item you purchased goes on sale for even less within a certain 30 or 60 day period as long as you keep your receipt," Quist said. "If you shop far enough in advance you can turn in those receipts in and save some money!"
Get social before you shop.
Checking a retailer’s social media platforms prior to shopping online is another way that you can potentially save a little money. Some retailers will offer exclusive coupon codes or release information about an upcoming sale date on their Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts.
So, if it’s a store that you like to shop at, be sure to follow them on social media so that you don’t miss the chance to land a good deal.
Shop on free shipping day
Did you know that there was a day designed just for getting free shipping — with no minimum spend — while shopping online? Offers.com Savings and Spending Expert Sarah Hollenbeck told INSIDER that this is the day you should be doing a bulk of your shopping during the holiday season.
"This is a once-a-year event where thousands of stores offer free shipping on all purchases made that day and promise delivery by Christmas Eve," she said. "This is a great way to save a good chunk of money while getting your last-minute holiday shopping done."
National Free Shipping Day takes place in mid-December.
Shop on Pinterest.
Likewise, Hollenbeck revealed another shopping gem that many may skip over: shopping on Pinterest.
"Pinterest is a popular site over the holiday season to get recipes and decor ideas to impress your guests," she told INSIDER. "But did you know that you can also shop on Pinterest? Use their a Price Drop Alert feature when you save Buyable Pins to your boards. If the price drops on the item you’ve pinned, Pinterest will send you an email alert with the price drop and a prompt to purchase the item now."
Remember: there’s an app for that.
Nabbing a good deal online can feel like you hit the pinnacle of perfect shopping, but according to Smith, downloading the merchant’s app can actually sweeten the deal.
"The best way to get exclusive access to sales and earn direct rewards with the merchant is by downloading their app or becoming a member," she told INSIDER. "Not only will you receive alerts on items you’ve kept in your shopping card or favorited, but you might receive exclusive deals to entice you to make the purchase."
And no, the online sale and the app sale are not always the same.
Check the reviews.
Before you purchase from a new online site, be sure to check the reviews of both the site and the piece of clothing that you’re buying. You never want to end up purchasing from a bogus site or end up with an item that doesn’t run true to size, isn’t of great quality, or has a horrible return policy.
Shop where the return policy is extended.
Though most places give you a 30 to 60-day return policy on items purchased, Zaida Khaze, CEO of Wiggletot, told INSIDER that some retailers will offer up to a year for returns.
"If you are buying gifts for people that you do not see often or live far away, buy holiday gifts from franchise department stores like Nordstrom or Bloomingdale's because they give you one year to return or exchange merchandise."
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