The internet has changed the way people shop, thanks to the rise of e-commerce. With more people shopping online and spending a lot of money doing so, it has become important to find ways to shop safely and make savings, so read on to see five helpful and actionable tips that you can use.
1. Use Cashback Credit Cards
Using credit cards to shop is generally safer than using debit cards. This is because this way, you won’t give any seller direct access to the money you have in your bank account. You can also make some amazing savings by using cash back credit cards, which give you a certain percentage back each time you use the card to shop. This ranges from 1% to 6% depending on the specific card you use, so find one whose terms you agree with and sign up for some impressive savings over time. With the online market for watch and jewelry sales set to reach $7.6 billion in America in 2021, it’s clear that many people are spending money on these items, some of which can be rather costly. You can get a nice amount back with a cashback credit card, so look into getting one before your next online shopping event.
2. Sidestep Dynamic Pricing
Dynamic pricing is a strategy used by online merchants to get the most money. They show different prices to different shoppers based on their location, spending and browsing patterns, and the product’s current demand. An example of dynamic pricing in action is when you spot cheap hotel accommodation online and when you check back on it in a day, you find that it has suddenly and mysteriously gone up. You can avoid falling victim to it by clearing your cookies, switching to incognito mode, logging out of your social and email accounts, and using localized website versions to avoid being redirected to the U.S., among others.
3. Shop For Discounts
Different seasons will call for different prices for most items you can find online, so take advantage of seasonal sales to make savings. As a parent, for instance, you may get good deals by shopping for back-to-school offers and more. You could also take advantage of a browser add-on or program that automatically finds the prices of an item you’re interested in getting from different merchants. With 8% of households in the United States owning at least one bike in 2018, which is the most that have ever been recorded in polls done by the Motorcycle Industry Council over decades, you may be shopping for a bike. Whether it’s for yourself or for someone else, you will be happy to pay the lowest possible price thanks to a price-comparison app that shows the best deals.
4. Let Items Sit in Your Cart for a Few Days
Rather than pay for items immediately you have them in your cart, let them sit there for a few days. This will have the benefit of saving you from making impulse purchases, as you will have time to think about whether you really need the item. It will also make you more likely to receive a discount or offer from the merchant as long as you have an account with the particular merchant and you stay logged in when you leave your cart.
5. Always Check Site Security Before You Shop
Finally, ensure your security by always making sure of the security of any website you want to shop from before you enter any of your details. Make sure that the site uses SSL or secure sockets layer encryption by checking to see if there’s a lock icon in the website’s browser bar. This will help by masking any sensitive information you share and reducing the risk of exposing your private information. With 12 billion searches conducted on the web per month on average in America, it’s going to be easy to find secure sites once you know what you need to look out for.
With these five tips, you can stay safe and enjoy great discounts while shopping online.