Are you tempted by the lure of shopping from the comfort of your home while enjoying a cup of coffee and lounging in your pajamas? Have you been wanting to shop online, but are apprehensive about the process? Are you unsure if you’re getting the best deal or if a website is trustworthy? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of online shopping.
Before going shopping at any online retailer, do a quick search for promotional codes. Many of the big retailers often have promotions running that are not advertised on their home page. Doing a quick search for these codes will allow you to insert the code at checkout to save money.
Look to Amazon.com to save you big, even on things that you may never think to buy online. Amazon has gotten so large that it’s more of a surprise when they don’t have something available. You can even do much of your dry goods grocery shopping right from their store, often at the cheapest prices around.
Always save copies of your orders and receipts from online purchases. Many stores will redirect you to a page after you’ve submitted an order detailing everything that was bought, customer information, the prices, etc. You should either print a copy of this or save a copy to your computer in case any issues arise before the end of the return period. Make sure to save any emails about your items’ status or correspondence with the company regarding your orders, too.
If you have questions while shopping, look for a live chat function on the online store. Many big brands (and even some boutique stores) now have this functionality. You can chat immediately with a customer service representative to fix any issues or answer any questions before you purchase. That can give you a lot of peace of mind.
Be wary of overdoing it. It is much easier to overspend when you are shopping online. You start to rationalize that you can spend more for those shoes because you saved money on gas and the food you would have gotten if you went to the mall, for instance. Give yourself a limit and stick to it.
Check out eBay. Still the best and most respected auction site out there, eBay offrs thousands of products of all kinds. Even if you want something high end, give eBay a shot before you go and pay full price unnecessarily. You might even want to browse, to see what products you like that you would not have thought to look for.
Look for the charts that show sizes on clothing store websites. One of the biggest challenges of buying clothes online is that you can’t quite tell whether the piece will fit you. But, many online clothes retailers offer size charts that can help a great deal. These can come in very handy!
Beware of phishing scams. No online retailer will send an email requesting you to send them any personal information in an email. If you receive an email like this, contact your credit card company using the number on the back of your credit card. This will ensure that the email is legit.
When making an online shopping purchase from a site like Ebay, make sure to pay attention to the sellers feedback and statistics. If a seller has a low score, you should probably try to avoid dealing with them entirely. Look for sellers who have a lot of positive feedback.
If you are unsure whether or not you can trust an online vendor, look up their reviews online first. Many times, customers will post reviews about their shopping experience, both good and bad. One or two bad reviews should not put you off, but many bad reviews should set off warning signals.
If you lead a hectic lifestyle, or work odd hours, it can often be difficult to make it to the store before they close. Online shopping, however, is something that you can do at any hour of the day (or night!), and may therefore be a more convenient choice for you.
Always use your common sense when shopping online. Ask yourself, do the prices seem way too low? Are there numerous spelling and grammar errors on the website? Does the company list a PO box instead of a physical address? These are all clues that you may not be dealing with the most reputable retailer. Use your common sense and don’t get scammed.
Always verify that the company from which you are purchasing a product has your full address. A small address error could lead to your package being delivered to the wrong home. This, due to the fact that it was your fault, could lead to you paying for something that you never will receive.
There are shopping forums that you should consider joining if you are serious about saving money. These forums can alert you when deals are found for the products you are looking for. It’s a smart way to discover sites you wouldn’t have otherwise; so make sure you get all the benefits by joining some forums.
Make sure you track the amounts you’re spending. How hard is it to go over your monthly itemized bank statements? It doesn’t sound hard, so why do so many people forget to do so? Set a spending limit and always know how much of your money is being spent online with your credit cards.
In conclusion, there are many things to know and understand about online shopping before you start clicking away. After reading this article, you are well aware of these ideas and are ready to enjoy shopping from the comfort of your home. So, grab a cup of coffee and put on your pajamas and shop ’til you drop!
