The genius online shopping tips you can’t afford to ignore… including why you should always splash the cash on a Tuesday
From shopping out of season to making the most of your birthday, this is how you can make savings when shopping online
ONLINE shopping has taken the ease out of fighting the crowds at the supermarket (or the sales!) and having to drag all your purchases home yourself.
Millions of Brits turn to websites every week and have the convenience of having their items delivered straight to their door.
But are we getting as much bang for our buck as we could?
Online shopping now counts for 15 per cent of all retail sales in the UK, with consumers spending well over £1billion a month online.
But while spending online is easy – sometimes a little too easy – cashback site has revealed some tips to help us buy better.
So from buying Christmas jumpers in July to pestering customer service on a Tuesday, here are six tips you can’t afford to ignore.
1. Buy on a Tuesday
Retailers most often roll out sales and discounts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to boost their sales on slightly slower working days.
If you browse the websites of your favourite retailers mid-week, not only will you be more likely to get a sweet deal but you’ll also benefit from a wider selection before sale items sell out.
2. … or buy out of season
It might be hard to think of winter in spring, but planning ahead seasonally can help you save a bundle on clothes and shoes.
A £100 winter coat will often be down to £50 in spring as retailers clear stock, so thinking ahead to what you’ll need in nine months time will reap major rewards.
It’s a classic tip but if you can train yourself to think about bikinis after the weather turns wintry, you’ll notice sale prices nearly everywhere you turn.
3. Sign up to email newsletters
Retailers put on sales to get you to buy things. Even though it might feel like you always miss them, most companies aren’t trying to hide the sales!
Signing up to receive emails from your favourite retailers will help you out, you’ll get to know about all of the flash sales, occasionally ahead of time.
And plenty of sites offer an initial discount when you sign up for the newsletter - so it's a win-win.
4. Play the birthday card
If you are registering with a website to buy something, enter your birthday.
So many sites will personalise their marketing and give you a birthday voucher or discount.
5. Check for a cashback deal
There is a cashback deal to be found on nearly everything we buy online. If you shop through you can commonly get 10 per cent or more in cashback on whatever you buy, even if it’s on sale.
With average annual savings of over £300, it’s a money-saving habit worth picking up.
You can get cashback on almost anything – from high-street fashion and electricals to mail-order artisan cheese and zombie experience days out.
6. Ask for discounts
Last but not least, and the cheekiest one of all. It sounds crazy, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Online shopping has come a long way, and a lot of retailers will have a live chat messenger function of some kind.
You would be surprised how often you can get a discount if you just ask. Flexible discounting can often be part of big brands’ pricing policies so don’t feel shy about it.