I avoid going to stores in person like the plague. If I walk into a Target I will spend $60 or more, so I avoid going to brick and mortar stores and do most of my shopping online. If I can’t browse at items I did not think to look for, I won’t buy them. For me, it’s that simple. If I have to walk past the Target dollar section on my way in the store, I’m going to look at it and I will probably buy something that I did not even think I “needed” 5 minutes before but after I see it and it’s only $2, it will be in my cart. So I only go to target a few times a year when I need several things that I could not buy online (usually this is because shipping was cost prohibitive so the items is twice as much on Amazon).
As a frequent online shopper, this is how I look to save every step of the way.
1) Use a cash back rebate
After I’ve found something I want to buy I always check Mr. Rebates and Ebates to see if the store offers cash back and which provider offers a higher rebate for that store. I have been using Mr. Rebates for years and have gotten several hundred dollars in cash back! They also will often have a coupon code that you can discount on your purchase too!
I only started using Ebates last year and usually I find Mr. Rebates to have the higher percentage back, but sometimes Ebates wins. When they are the same, I default to Mr. Rebates so I consolidate my cash back in one location as much as possible.
I only started using Ebates last year and usually I find Mr. Rebates to have the higher percentage back, but sometimes Ebates wins. When they are the same, I default to Mr. Rebates so I consolidate my cash back in one location as much as possible.
Occasionally, stores will offer an extra high rebate percentage as a temporary bonus, so watch out for that too. If two stores offer the same item at almost the same price, I will check which one is offering a higher rebate before I buy (especially for shoes).
I get cash back from lots of clothing retailers, Groupon, Ebay, Vistaprint, Expedia and even from some Amazon purchases.
You can sign up for Mr. Rebates here (referral link) and Ebates here (referral link).
2) Don’t pay for shipping
When my friends tell me they don’t like shopping online it’s often because they don’t want to pay for shipping. Well, I don’t like paying for shipping either and I almost never do.
First, we are Amazon Prime members and we get our money’s worth out of our membership (not just from shipping) and order lots of things from Amazon with free shipping.
Next, I don’t order 1 shirt 10 times a year. I order 10 shirts once a year. Usually, there will be a threshold where free shipping is offered, if I’m note ordering enough to meet that threshold, a lot of times I will leave things in my cart until I need something else or I will just not order.
You can also check if your credit card has a free shipping partnership, for example American Express offers a free membership in ShopRunner which offers free 2-day shipping and return shipping at 140 stores.
3) Check the return policy
When buying online it’s important to check the return policy to make sure the item can be returned and at what cost. If it’s something I’m likely to return and it cannot be returned for no cost, I will probably not buy it.
Lots of items from Amazon prime can be returned with no cost to a Prime member. Items such as clothing will have “free returns” listed next to them if they can be returned with no cost, but note this is not true of all Prime shipping items. Pay attention to the return shipping policy when you order.
Usually, if I am buying clothes, I will look at stores that have locations near where I live so I can return them to the store if I don’t like them when they arrive. When I make the returns I go straight in and out to avoid picking anything additional up! Double check before you order that then don't charge you to return items to a store, it's not very common but I have seen this, if they charge for returns to their stores, order from somewhere else. Even if I have a store nearby, I usually prefer to shop online, for me the store is mostly for returns.
And it goes without saying, I hope, that you should use a coupon code. I’m not even sure it qualifies as a “tip,” so I’m just tacking it on the end here. You should always, always, always use a coupon code. There is almost nothing that you need to order today leave it in your cart until there is a sale happening. Sign up for coupons via email and route the emails to a spam address that you only check before checking out.
So what’s in your cart that you are waiting to buy until it’s on sale? How are you getting the best deal?
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