Online Shopping Tips and Tricks
Online shopping has gone a long way and more people are shopping online. Some may even prefer it than going in store. Online shops have gone more secure, and sometimes offer good deals that's online only. It makes it easier to find products that you can't find in your town. This post will be some tips and tricks that I use as an online shopper. I hope these will help you out on your next online shopping experience!1. Budget
Its really important for one to have a budget. One should know how to be responsible with money, and avoid getting into financial problems. A good rule is to not spend more than you have, and never touch your savings. If you plan to purchase an expensive item make sure you can afford the monthly payments. Also if you're struggling with choosing between which items to buy, make a pro and con lists of each item. Be sure to think the difference between a "need" and a "want." Then think about how long you will probably use the item and compare its usage to its price, and of its worth. Look at your home and see if you have the space for it. This way you can push away that feeling of "I want it!" and make you thing more rationally. Do not let clever marketing trick you! Save yourself some money and put it in your savings account or invest it. It will pay off in the end. You can use finance management apps like Mint to help budget and track your money flow.
2. Secure Only. Scam Free.
Its best to shop from well established and recognized companies like Amazon. Look up reviews on Google or Youtube about the shops. Be sure they are secure enough to protect your information, and have good and responsive customer service. Also check if the site lists their location address somewhere also. Google the site name and add the word "scam" to make sure the shop is legitimate. Be sure to check in more than one review sites. If there are nothing on the shop I would be cautious purchasing from the shop. To protect you information, its much safer to pay through the Paypal payment option so you do not have your credit card information in more than one place on the internet. You can also NOT check the "save credit card information" option during check out.
3. Save Up and Ship for Free
The downside to online shopping is paying for shipping. I highly recommend shopping on shops that offer free shipping. Many corporations offer free shipping which are often for orders than are at a certain price which I believe $50 is the most popular one. $50 is not hard to get but if you just need one item I suggest waiting till you need more items because the free shipping is worth it. Even better if the shop offers free shipping coupons codes with no minimum orders which you might have to wait for. Some shops would give it out once or twice a year. Free shipping will always be the slowest (7-10 days) but if time is more of a priority than saving money then pay the shipping price.
4. Take Advantage of Rewards
Use credits cards that have reward points and/or cash back. Even better to pair it with shops that have their own members reward points program. You can also use programs like Ebates where you can earn cash back on your purchase. There are also a few free services where you can earn free gift cards. I have a whole post about that here so please do give it a read if you want to learn more. Using all these on your purchase will make buying stuff less painful for your wallet. You'll be able to earn up for some free things (like samples) or getting some money back. Use as much as you can to maximize your earnings. Be sure to compare whats a better deal for points. Maybe it be a better deal to exchange your points for miles for a free flight than the $20 cash back for the same amount of points.
5. Score Coupons and Deals
Use sites like Retailmenot to find coupon codes and be sure to take advantage of shop's email newsletters. Sometimes they offer coupons when you first sign up for their newsletters, and its a great way to keep track of their sales and promotions. Especially for one day sales and they will most likely email you more than once about it. Its a great way to look out for free shipping codes and free gifts with purchases. If you purchased a product but saw that it went on sale the next day you can contact customer service to credit the difference back. I highly doubt they will give you credit if you bought the product over a week before the sale started. There's also price comparison services that will compare prices of a product from difference stores. Also there's auction sites like ebay where you might be able to get the product for a cheaper price. They might be used alittle but be sure to read the seller's description before bidding. You can ask them questions about the item too.
6. Read the Description Please
Many people tend to order things expecting to be one thing but it arrives not as they hoped. This is most likely the fault of the buyer not reading the description. It should describe the product in detail and most likely answers your questions. Please be sure it wasn't your fault before contacting customer service. Smaller shops or secondhand sellers may not allow you to return it or give you a refund. Find and read reviews of the product from shops and review sites. Also check youtube for video reviews of the product.
7. Returns
Don't forget to check the shop's return policy. Some would offer hassle free and free returns, while others require that you pay the return shipping costs. Some would offer in store returns. Auction sites are more likely not offer returns depending on the seller. Be sure to read the seller's policies and reviews.
I hope these are helpful, and if you have anymore please leave a comment! Have a nice day and happy shopping!
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