Online shopping has now become an important part of our daily lives.
People order food, medicines, clothes, electronics, groceries, and almost everything online.
The advantage here is home delivery, no hassle of bargaining, coupon discounts followed by free returns and refunds.
But did you know that you can also save money while shopping online?
Here are top five ways to save money while shopping online that will help you get your favourite products and services at the best available price.
Sign up as a new user
Create a new account by using a different mobile number, e-mail id, and other required details during registration.
Many companies give exclusive new user offers via e-mail, SMS, or app notifications.
This may save you somewhere around 10 to 50 per cent or even more on your first order via this account.
Similarly, you can create new accounts every time you shop.
Be wary of not repeating or duplicating your information. Once the company identifies the user is the same, it may not provide you the offer.
Shop via mobile app
In order to boost their mobile apps, many companies offer app exclusive offers. These offers are available only on the app.
Moreover, after shopping they might give you another offer so that their app customers can be retained.
Look for offers like: Shop via app and get an additional 5% off or 'Make your first order via our app and get a free gift.'
Apps are more user friendly, and make your shopping experience enjoyable, while offering you a range of discounts.
Price Compare
At the moment, there are some things you can’t wait to buy. If you see toilet paper or disinfecting wipes online, for instance, they might disappear if you waste a couple days trying to get a better deal. But many things are worth taking the time to research and price compare, says Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert at RetailMeNot.
Make sure you are getting the best deal before clicking the first offer you see, Skirboll says.
Use a Money-Saver App, No Matter Where You Shop
I buy everything through Rakuten, Orman says. Rather than going directly to a retailer’s website, she instead first logs onto Rakuten and clicks on a link to her preferred vendor from there. Rakuten then offers a percentage kickback on the purchase in the form of real cash back: They cut you a check or make a PayPal deposit.
It’s highly lucrative, Demer agrees about Rakuten. It’s something to consider.
Demer also recommends the rebate app Ibotta, which you can use for Instacart, Target or Wal-Mart purchases.
The way these apps work is, you upload a photo of your receipt. The coupon value is credited to your account as a rebate,” she says. “You’re saving real money.
Shop with a Credit Card that Pays You Cash Back
Though you should be using your credit card wisely during these uncertain financial times, when shopping for essentials, you might as well get an even better deal by shopping with a credit card that gives you cash back. Not sure which credit card you should use?
