Here is a good general guide to online shopping, which includes some nice tips on how to save money.
Online Shopping
By Graeme Renwall
While the Internet has some great deals, don’t the shipping charges basically offset the savings? While conventional wisdom says that that would be the case, you can actually take certain steps to minimize the shipping costs. Here are some ways to get the best shipping deals for online purchases:
1. Have the product shipped to a brick-and-mortar store
You can often buy products from online stores that also have offline branches. Some of these companies will reduce the online shipping charges in part or in full, if you pick up the product. When making your online purchase, inquire if the company has this service.
2. Look for the coupon codes
Coupon codes basically work like the traditional coupons that you clip from newspapers and magazines. When making your purchase, you simply input the coupon’s code, to avail of a discounted price. Besides enjoying discounts on your purchase, sometimes you can also benefit from discounted or free shipping. Look for websites that are dedicated exclusively to coupon codes-to find the best selection.
3. Find retailers closer to your home
While this tip only applies to smaller retailers, it can save you a bundle of money. Shipping costs will be significantly lower when the retailer is in your region, than when it’s on the other side of the country–or the world.
4. Ship slower
Do you really need to receive your purchase the next day or within this week? Yes, sometimes, we absolutely, positively must have a certain item as soon as possible. But oftentimes, we could wait a week or two to get the product. While surface shipping takes considerably longer than air shipping does, it can help you to save a small fortune. So think twice about whether you really need that fake tattoo shirtsleeve–by tomorrow.
5. Join online clubs
Some online retailers have clubs, which allow discounts on products and shipping. But before you sign up, make sure that the savings will be lower than the membership fees. If the fees are higher, then it basically defeats the purpose of the club.
6. Ship more
The more you buy, the lower the shipping rates tend to be. So if possible, wait until you’re ready to buy multiple items when making an online purchase. Ultimately, by making larger purchases, you can save a ton of money on shipping costs.
Another method to increase the size of your order is to combine orders with friends and relatives. Depending on the purchase that you’re making, it’s likely that someone you know shops for similar products. So why not combine your orders into one, so you can all benefit from lower shipping costs?
7. Look for companies that offer free shipping
Yes, such retailers actually exist! Also, check if the companies offer free return shipping. If they don’t, then it could be more practical to sell the item at a yard sale or even give it away.
So there you have it! Contrary to conventional wisdom, you can have your cake and get it shipped for a lower cost-or for free!
Graeme has been writing articles for nearly 3 years. His current passion is hydrotherapy. Take a look at his selection of used hot tubs and his comprehensive display of hot tub accessories for sale.
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