6 Hacks To Get The Best Deals Online
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Going outside, waiting in line, and being around other shoppers—these are the cons of not buying online. Since online shopping already exists, you can now shop in just a few taps and clicks right in the comfort of your home.
As Filipinos, we always want to get the most out of our money, let alone the fact that we are inherently frugal. So how can we make sure that we are getting our money’s worth when shopping online?
Here are smart tips to help you shop the things you want and need online at the best prices—in the quickest way possible.
1) Fill up and abandon your online shopping cart
After putting all the things you want to shop in the cart, don’t check out just yet. Leaving it for a day or two will make the store think that you’re second guessing your purchase. As response, the store will send a deal or coupon to your inbox to lure you back in.
2) Shop in private mode
Stores can track your online shopping activity including location/ZIP codes, peak time, and buying patterns. They may offer higher prices to those from higher income locations or rural places where competition is not tight.
Prevent this by shopping in private or incognito mode.
- For Chrome, go to Settings then click New Incognito Window.
- For Firefox, go to Settings then click New Private Window.
- For Safari, go to File then click New Private Window.
- For Internet Explorer, go to Settings, Safety, then click InPrivate Browsing.
3) Check your browser
Internet cookies are your enemies. These are pieces of information stored in your browser when you visit websites. Unfortunately, these can cause item prices increase when you’re shopping online.
Avoid this by using a different browser when shopping. For instance, if you’re using Chrome as your primary browser, use Firefox for online shopping. Don’t forget to clear your history and cookies.
Shopping on Safari and Internet Explorer can also spike the prices for you, and browsing items on a Mac than on a PC may show you higher prices too. This is called “price discrimination,” where stores estimate your wealth and geographic location when shopping online based on your browser and device.
Try Chrome or Firefox if you want to get the best deals. And if possible, do it on mobile.
4) Coupons, coupons, coupons
Sites like Coupons.com or RetailMeNot will give you promo codes for free shipping and discounts. You can also check out promo codes from other shoppers in the comments section of these online stores.
5) Check out pre-loved goods
Buying pre-loved goods or second-hand items will result in reduced expenses while still getting the product you want. Sites like PawnHero Marketplace shows amazing deals on items someone has owned before but are still in excellent condition.
6) Try re-furb and open-box deals
Open box means that items can range from used to new, or they could’ve been opened or unwrapped from its original packaging. Try typing in the search bar keywords such as “re-furb” and “open box” and you’ll see the items under this category. Buyers can expect products of good quality at such a low price.
With these tips in mind, your online shopping experience will be an absolute best. If you don’t have a consistent list of online shopping tips before, then this official guide should help you in navigating on your own without getting tricked.
