5 TRICKS TO GET BETTER DEALS ONLINE
🛍️ Offers on 'forgotten shopping baskets'Signing up to newsletters is a no brainer but did you know that creating an account, putting an item into your basket & leaving it there for a couple of days can get you a special discount code? Some retailers have an automation service in place which tells them that you were about to buy something but dropped it right before hitting that checkout button. To lure you back in to finish your purchase they might send you a 'your basket's waiting for you, here's 10% off, now shuffle off to the checkout' e-mail. At the moment there's no comprehensive list of the retailers who do this available as they all have different price limits and time frames set up but the word has it that Urban Outfitters and Wordery are amongst them. If you're not in rush to finish your purchase this might be a good one to try!
🛍️ Websites that filter discounts, sales & exclusive deals
There are plenty of websites that give you lists of discounts, sales and exclusive deals - from voucher websites where you can find specific discount vouchers to the less talked about websites such as Shopstyle, Lyst, Shoptagr or Polyvore. These websites all gather products from various retailers which means it's not just an easy way to find sale picks but it also saves a lot of your time browsing dozens of individual websites. On top of that some of these websites offer deals on other brands just for their customers so it's always worth checking both large eclectic retailers such as Shopstyle and then going back for a quick look on the brand's own website to see whether they might be having a sale/offer on.
🛍️ Exclusive blogger discounts
Don't be afraid to use affiliate links provided by bloggers - not only that you're showing your favourite blogger that you're supporting them and essentially funding the running of your favourite blog that way (without it costing you any extra money), the chances are there will be an exclusive discount code provided by said blogger too. Many affiliate networks such as AWIN provide the opportunity for bloggers to request super exclusive discount codes just for them (ones that you can't find anywhere else) which they then share with their readership. Despite many people being reluctant to use affiliate links it's really a win win situation!
🛍️ Catalogue retailers
Do you remember back in the day when you used to sit down with your mum & nanna sipping on a creamy cuppa whilst browsing through a catalogue? Be it Avon or Bonprix, catalogues were all the rage in the 80s & 90s. You will find that they are not popping through your letterbox as much anymore but there are plenty of them online. Catalogue retailers offer something that not many other retailers do - a large number of flexible payment options. You can spread the cost (pay monthly or weekly), buy now and pay later, some of them don't even require a credit check. Of course you have to always be aware of your budgets and keep on track with payments but if you need something immediately (I'm talking a fridge or a lawnmower kind of emergency) and it's way before the payday then online catalogue retailers might be the best solution for you.
🛍️ Price matching
Maybe a little cheeky trick that is more tied to services rather than products is price matching. Companies such as BT, Virgin and many energy suppliers are usually open to price matching their packages and rates. All you need to do is enquire about this with their customer service and prove that you've been offered a better value from their competitors. The philosophy behind this is that a supplier would rather keep you and give you a price match than lose you as a customer in the long run. Of course you can't be blackmailing companies whilst showing them photoshopped 'proofs' of a price match - you gotta be reasonable and truthful. And if your supplier is not agreeing to a price match then the easiest thing is just to go to one who is offering you a more affordable service - easy!
What are your favourite tricks when it comes to online shopping?
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