Let’s start with safety first. Always pay by credit card. It’s so much easier to get your money back this way, you get extra benefits on most credit cards and much more security. This is because the liability lies with the Bank and in most cases will refund your money.
On sites where you have an account, place the items you wish to purchase in your basket. Then leave them there. A lot of larger sites will track your “abandoned” basket and after a couple of days, they will email you reminding you of it and offering a discount to incentivize you to purchase.
Does the site have a live chat button? If so, use it. Chatting with an operative can net you an even better discount than you already have. All it takes is typing a few words into a box. Surely that’s worth anyones time?
Use cashback sites to earn extra money and benefits. Sites such as topcashback.com can really help you to make a killing during the January sales.
Get yourself in “the know“. Follow your favorite stores and brands on social media. That way you keep yourself up to date with all their offers and can even share in “exclusive” offers too. Do be careful though. Some unscrupulous people have fake accounts to lure you in. Your favorite stores and brands will be verified, usually with a blue tick.
Don’t get too excited and buy on the first site. Check the price of your product against other sites. You will kick yourself if that amazing offer could have been had cheaper elsewhere.
Similar to following on social media is newsletters. Signing up your email will grab you first chance at exclusive offers and keep you a step ahead of the bargain hunters.
Don’t forget to factor in shipping costs. Some sites offer free shipping, some don’t. Make sure your buying decisions are informed of this. The slightly more expensive one with free shipping might actually be cheaper!
Buying electronics? Type the model number into a search engine and check prices, year of manufacture and full specifications. Most retailers are looking to get rid of old stock, dressing it up as an amazing deal.
Lastly, set yourself reminders for upcoming sales. Especially useful if it’s a flash sale or limited availability sale.