How to Find The Best Deals on The Internet: The Complete Guide

best deals on the internet

Tired of paying full price for everything? Feel like you’re broke all the time?

You might be missing out on some important ways to save when you shop.

Research shows that almost 80 percent of modern Americans shop online. Shopping online is convenient, but even more than that, people report turning to online stores for the potential savings.

However, knowing how to find those savings takes some skill. If you still feel like you’re paying more than you should be, let us help you save money. In this guide, we’ll give you our top tips for finding the best deals on the internet.

1. Check for Restocking Fees

Even if retail stores are someday put entirely out of business by online stores, those online stores will still need warehouses. Even online-only stores need warehouses where they can store their goods to ship to customers. And those warehouses are full of workers who need to be paid.

When you buy an item online, the retailer has already factored in the cost of paying its employees. They’ll pay them to get, package, and ship your item, using the money that sales brings in. However, if you return an item, those costs aren’t factored into their budget yet. That’s where things can get pricey for you.

When you return something, it needs to get repackaged and replaced, but the company isn’t making any money in the process. That’s why a lot of online retailers now charge a restocking fee when you return something.

Some restocking fees are relatively small. However, others can be painful. It’s worthwhile to check what these fees are before you make a purchase from a given retailer. Otherwise, you could end up paying much more than you bargained for if you need to make a return.

Some retailers may charge as much as 25 percent or more of the cost of the item in a restocking fee. However, it’s more common to see fees of around 15 percent of the item’s cost, for items that take a lot of packaging in particular.

Check the store’s return policy to make sure you won’t lose money in the process. If the items take minimal packaging, like books, you shouldn’t have to pay fees. And if the item arrives damaged or defective, you should always be able to return it without paying fees, too.

2. Try Daily Deals Sites

As mentioned above, many people report turning to online shopping not for the convenience, but for the savings. The reason it’s so easy to save when shopping online is, of course, that you can compare prices at the click of a button.

Before online shopping existed, people had to take the time to flip through catalogs or visit multiple stores to find deals. Now, you just have to click through a few sites from the comfort of your desk chair (or anywhere with your smartphone). However, you can take this bargain hunting up a level by trying out the most popular daily deals sites.

There are niche sites for fashion deals, as well as general sites where you can find deals on all kinds of different products. Use search engines like Google to your advantage, too. The more prices you can compare, the less you’re likely to pay in the end.

3. Save on Shipping

One drawback of shopping online is that you’ll often have to pay shipping costs, which don’t apply when you shop in person.

To help save on shipping costs, try to order as much as possible from one retailer. That way, you’ll only pay one shipping fee for multiple items. You can also check to see if the retailer has a free shipping offer if you spend a certain amount. If they do, it might be worthwhile to stock up on some things so you can meet that amount and get free shipping.

Another way to save on shipping is to order early for items that you need at a specific time. If you order with plenty of time to spare, you can avoid paying extra for rush delivery.

Make sure to leave extra time if you’re ordering from a third-party vendor, rather than the retailer themselves. Vendors may not be able to meet the delivery time that the retailer states.

4. Search for Coupons

Coupons are often associated with in-person shopping. However, they can also be a useful part of online shopping, too.

First, visit the retailer’s website and see if they offer any deals there. If they offer a mailing list or club to sign up for, do it, since that’s often a great source of discounts.

Then, do an online search or check online discount sites to find even more deals for that retailer. To avoid filling up your personal email account with discount offers, think about making a separate email that you’ll use for this purpose.

About once a week, or every time you shop, just check that email account to see if any deals come in. This will keep you from paying full price most of the time!

5. Know the Sale Times

Did you know that you can often combine coupons with sales prices? Even if you think you’re getting a great price, it doesn’t hurt to wait for an item to go on sale.

You can plan ahead more effectively if you know when the common sales times are. Many retailers have sales during major holidays, and some have regularly scheduled annual or bi-annual sales, too. Don’t forget the post-Christmas sales, when you can find some of the best deals all year.

Ready to Find the Best Deals on the Internet?

If you’re ready to save money, it’s time to start using these tips to find the best deals on the internet. The deals are waiting for you – but it’s up to you to find them.

Luckily, finding them doesn’t have to be hard. There are plenty of deals sites out there to help you out. What are you waiting for? It’s time to start shopping!

Looking for more ways to save? Don’t miss our guide to coupon shopping here.

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