As more and more consumers begin to shop online, it is important to be aware of the many ways that you can obtain bigger discounts and find the best deal available. If you complete an online transaction without utilizing any discount or coupon of any kind, then you are not shopping optimally. While there are a few retailers that never offer coupons or sales on their products, this is a minority in online shopping.
The majority of retailers recognize that they can better reach consumers by offering competitive prices, free shipping and other discounts.
While there are a variety of ways to earn these invaluable discount codes such as with digital newsletters and social media, you can also receive coupons by taking advantage of coupon-code browser extensions. These extensions will automatically find and apply coupons for you that are relevant to your purchase. Another great way to obtain discounts is by abandoning your shopping cart, as a retailer is then notified of your reluctance to make a purchase that you have shown interest in. With so many different ways that you can save more money when shopping online, it is important to familiarize yourself with the value of each method. For more tips and tricks that can lead you to the best online deals, review the sections that have been provided below.
Subscribe to Digital Newsletters
Most online retailers utilize digital newsletters as a form of advertisement in order to reach out to their current or potential customers. You have likely been asked if you would like to subscribe to a newsletter before, as popup boxes for newsletters are common. Yet, despite how common newsletters are, they are a great way to take advantage of savings.
Retailers will often send their newsletter subscribers email notifications for upcoming sales events, including flash sales (sales that only last 24 to48 hours), new product lines and clearance selections. Not only will you be one of the first to hear about these upcoming sales, but you will likely receive coupon codes that can be used to save even more. In many cases, an online retailer will even provide you with a coupon just for subscribing to the newsletter, allowing you to reap newsletter savings from your very first purchase.
Utilize Online Mobile Coupon Apps
Mobile apps have grown in popularity in recent years, making them a perfect instrument for advertisement. There are a variety of mobile apps that can help you to obtain savings on purchases. While some of these apps offer cash back on qualifying purchases, the majority of couponing apps will provide you with the current discounts and coupons that can be used at any particular retail location or online retail store.
Take Advantage of Annual Sales
Each year, retailers provide substantial savings through annual sales, which are the best times to shop online. Many of these sales are obvious, as they correlate with the time of year such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day to list a few. However, many retailers also provide their own annual sale, such as Prime Day through Amazon.com. If you are nearing one of these shopping holidays or events, then it is crucial that you have patience and wait for prices to drop in order to take advantage of these deep savings.
Use Online Subscription Services to Save More
A variety of websites will offer subscriptions and membership programs that can provide you with bigger savings on each of your purchases. This is commonly referred to as a paid rewards program and many retailers that offer this form of rewards program can grant you deeper discounts on each of your purchases, free shipping or other freebies. A prime example of a subscription service that offers hefty rewards is Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime users receive free two-day shipping on most items as well as lower pricing, the occasional coupon, free e-books and audiobooks, free music and even free Amazon video. If you are the type of person who frequently shops online, then the benefits of paid subscriptions can quickly outweigh the annual price that you are expected to pay for the service.
Download Coupon-Code Browser Extensions to Discover Discounts
If you have not been able to find a coupon for the item that you would like to purchase, then there are free browser extensions that will automatically scan and apply coupon codes that are relevant for your purchase. This can help you obtain the best price without spending a lot of time searching for coupon codes, many of which are often either invalid or expired. Browser extensions such as joinhoney.com and goodshop.com do just that.
Abandon Your Shopping Cart
Have you ever thought better about a purchase and received an email advertisement a few days later? Leaving items in a virtual shopping cart actually notifies the retailer that you are contemplating a purchase but that you have not yet committed to making one. In cases such as these, you could be emailed a promotional code for your purchase within a day or two, especially if you are already subscribed to a retailer’s digital newsletter. Simply visit your favorite website, add the items that you would like to purchase to your cart, close the browser and wait.
Monitor Social Media Outlets Such as Twitter and Facebook
It is recommended that you follow your favorite retailers on Facebook and Twitter in order to hear about upcoming sales events as well as receive exclusive social media coupon and discounts. Retailers commonly advertise through their social media outlets in order to reach more consumers. Many of the coupon codes that are offered on a regular basis can only be used for a limited amount of time, but you could score some serious discounts such up to 70 percent off of a product, buy-one-get-one-free offers and free shipping.
Hide Your IP Address to Avoid Inflation
While it is a dirty trick, it is true that some retailers may charge you a higher fee if you live in an upscale area. This inflation is based upon IP address so if you live within a wealthy zip code area, it is recommended that you either review pricing from a different location or that you hide your IP address with a VPN. There are also a variety of internet web browsers that contain “incognito” functionality that will mask your location for you.
By Admin –
