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When you’re shopping online, getting the best deals may seem like a challenge. You can use the best tools, scour the Internet, wait for deals, research the best coupons and compare prices.
And you can get advice from a pro.
I recently spoke with Howard Schaffer, VP of Merchandise and Partner Management of Offers.com, who shared his best tips for shopping. Although this is the holiday season, Schaffer’s tips work to help you save money year-round.
Schaffer’s recommendations include using coupons and finding deals at Offers.com. But his tips go far beyond saving money on his website. Find out his insights, tips and behind-the-scenes info that will empower you for better shopping.
=> For more information about Offers.com check out Your Best Tech Tools for Holiday Shopping!
Discount Gift Cards
Who said gift cards have to be gifts?
Schaffer suggests getting discounted gift cards you can keep for yourself. If you’re shopping at stores like Target, Macy’s, Sears, Best Buy or Home Depot you can actually buy discounted gift cards you can use to save money on your purchases.
He recommends you check out sites such as raise.com and cardpool.com where you can find gift cards at a discount.
“Basically you’re saving money, like 10-20%, by using a discounted gift card to buy your items,” Schaffer explains. You may be able to find a $50 gift card for $40, for example.
After you purchase the gift card you may be given the redemption code online so you don’t have to wait for it to arrive in the mail. Use it immediately to shop online.
Redeem the discounted gift card at checkout in addition to any online coupons you use.
Low Price Guarantees
Some sites offer low price guarantees so you can get a lower price if you buy an item and it goes on sale within a certain time period or is offered at a lower price at another store. Schaffer advises to check each site’s policies because they vary.
Certain items may be excluded from low price guarantees such as “hot buys” that are only available at certain stores. Brick and mortar stores may offer price-matching for online deals.
Asking for the price matching in store, as opposed to online, is much easier, according to Schaffer.
Timing Your Shopping
“Shop early and shop often,” Schaffer suggests. If your loved one wants a gift that’s especially popular, you should buy it when it’s available. “You don’t want it to run out.”
Schaffer gave the example of Star Wars gifts or hoverboards. “Those things are going to run out so you want to get them early.”
He also suggests never buying any seasonal item in-season. If you can wait until the end of the season or out of season, you will get better deals. “Instead of a sale that could be 10-40% off, you may find sales of 50-80% off at the end of the season.”
If you want to buy something for the home, such as large appliances, furniture, or mattresses, you should wait for sales on 3-day bank holiday weekends such as President’s Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day. Those are the types of purchases people make in stores, as opposed to online so sales on those items tend to get people to come into stores, according to Schaffer.
3-day weekends give stores the opportunity to get people to come in and buy. “Stores will have great sales on those items because they know a lot of people are off of work on those days and they want those people to come in and shop,” he said.
Make a List
Schaffer advises before you start shopping, either online or in stores, to make a list of what you want to buy and your budget. Your more likely to shop only for what you need and stick to your budget if you have a list. “Consumers end up buying things for themselves and going over their budgets.”
He gave the example of brick and mortar stores having door-buster sales to get you in the store so you’ll buy even more things. If you have a list you may be able to resist impulse purchases more easily.
Compare Prices for Accessories
Schaffer also warns about forgetting to include accessories in your budget. He gave the example of someone who wants to buy a TV as a gift. You may still need the cables, speakers, and TV stand that could push you over your budget.
He advises to make sure you research the prices for the accessories, just as you did for the TV. Sometimes stores will give big discounts on the TVs but have big markups on the accessories. You may find better prices for the accessories at a different store.
Do you need the gold-plated cable to connect your TV? Maybe an inexpensive cable would be good enough and help you save money. Consider how much of your budget you will spend on the TV versus the accessories.
Shipping Fees
Another tip is to check on shipping fees when comparing prices. A great deal may not be so great if shipping fees are expensive.
On the other hand, you shouldn’t assume a deal is better just because a site offers free shipping. You have to compare prices with shipping fees included.
Schaffer also suggested saving on shipping fees by shopping online and picking up the item in the store. In-store pick up is usually free and can save time with last-minute gifts.
Store Credit Cards
If you shop often at a store like Kohls or Nordstrom, sign up for their store credit cards to get points for your purchases. You can redeem points later to get discounts online or in stores. “Kohls has Kohls Cash so you can earn points while you do your holiday shopping and then use your Kohls Cash at a later date,” Schaffer says.
He also points out that returning items to stores tends to be easier when you’re used the store’s credit card. You don’t have to worry about missing receipts, the store can keep track of your purchases.
He cautions that you should pay off the balance on your card each month to avoid high interest charges.
Buying For the Person Who’s Difficult to Buy For
Some people are especially difficult to buy gifts for. They seem to want for nothing and inspiration for gift ideas is hard to come by.
“Who says you have to give a gift of some thing? You can give an experience. In the 2015 era, people who seem to have everything may enjoy an experience,” says Schaffer. With an experience you can keep the memories for a lifetime, instead of an object that can be soon forgotten.
He was given the gift of an iFly experience where you’re in a simulator and feel as if you’re jumping out of a plane. You get the feeling of skydiving without the danger of gravity becoming your mortal enemy.
Schaffer gave another example of an experience you can give: hiring a chef to come to your loved one’s house to prepare a dinner. “You can hire a chef to prepare a meal for an event or a big family dinner. It’s actually not that expensive and it’s so much fun. You feel as if you’re at a 5-star restaurant but not paying 5-star restaurant prices.”
You can give gifts such as a membership to a museum, a magazine subscription, win or beer-of-the-month club. “These are the gifts that keep on giving,” said Schaffer.
Your Thoughts
Which of Schaffer’s shopping tips were most helpful for you? Do you use any of these tips? Do you have any shopping tips to share?
Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below!
* Shopping bag image (edited) courtesy of ddpavumba via freedigitalphotos.net
* Sale image (edited) courtesy of digitalart via freedigitalphotos.net
* Buy It Now image courtesy of Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net
* Free Delivery image courtesy of Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net
* iFly image courtesy of Harold Wolf
This was a very interesting and fun to read post.
We have had identity theft and it left me hesitant to shop on line but these tips were appreciated as I venture back to on-line transactions.
Thank you,
CCD
Hi Carolyn, Yes, shopping online can be scary if you’re worried about getting your information stolen. Be sure to check out Cyber Crime: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim to learn about ways to stay safe.
I was excited to learn Howard’s tips for shopping. I hadn’t thought about getting discounted gift cards and using them myself.
Happy shopping, Carolyn!
Hi Carolyn,
Wonderful post indeed 🙂
I enjoyed going through all the tips and suggestions given by Howard Schaffer, and you are so right, they go much beyond this holiday season! I’m glad that I follow most of them, like using the coupon codes and going in for bulk shopping for stuff like clothes and accessories, mainly off season. That’s actually the time you get the heaviest discounts.
We don’t have the stores mentioned here, but there are a lot many this end that offer similar discounts and offers, especially during this festive season, and there is always a mad rush in such stores! Anything to bring in people to shop! Not to mention that they all take in ready credit cards, offering us more discounts if we take it all from them. 🙂
Thanks for sharing these great tips and wonderful advice from a pro – enjoy your week ahead as well 🙂
Hi Harleena, I’m so glad you liked Howard’s tips. He had some great ideas for saving money, buying gifts and saving time. Even though the stores he mentioned aren’t available in your country, many of the tips can be used no matter in which country you do your shopping.
I hope you have a wonderful time shopping, Harleena!
Jerry would sure like to have you with him when he goes shopping.
Hi Jerry, Yes, having Howard along when you shop really would be the ultimate shopping experience! But since we can’t do that, getting his advice here is the next best thing to shopping with him.
Happy holidays, Jerry!
Hey Carolyn,
My problem is that I just walk into stores not knowing what I will get. I just happened to get ideas just from running across items. One thing I’m good at is not buying by impulse but I do need to make a list so that i don’t waste too much time since I’m not really a shopper.
I’m interested in the discounted coupon cards. This is smart shopping whether it be for yourself or someone else. I’m one to prefer shopping online though and I would rather shop online so that I don’t have to get into the long lines anyways.
Thanks for sharing these tips Carolyn! Have a great week!
Hi Sherman, Yes, Howard is absolutely right, having a list, whether you shop online or in stores, can really help you resist impulse shopping and make you stick to your budget. You can be more focused on what you need to get to mark items off of your list.
Yes, discounted gift cards is a brilliant idea. Why pay full price when you can get a discounted gift card and then take advantage of coupon codes on top of that.
I hope you have a very successful holiday shopping season, Sherman!
Hey Carolyn,
I agree, I like some of his tips.
Although I’ve already done all of my shopping for the year I do use coupon codes when they’re available. Of course with my family they all want something from different stores so trying to buy things in bulk isn’t always easy.
The one thing that people do need to be cautious about is the shipping. Mom is always complaining that a certain online store that she always bought her brother some candy for the holidays, their shipping was as much as the gift so this year we did something different and I found her a coupon code so she was happy.
I’ll definitely keep his suggestions in mind moving forward. Always helps to save when we can.
Happy Holidays!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Yes, I really learned a lot from these tips. Using coupon codes can save you a lot of money. And sometimes shipping and handling can cost more than the item you’re buying. Staying on top of the deals can be a challenge.
Merry Christmas to you and your mom, Adrienne!
Hi there,
The biggest and the most common mistake people make while shopping – according to me, is the lack of patience. Most of the people out there rush out as soon as they see a small sale, only to realize that waiting a bit more could have saved some bucks. There are high times when the sellers get into the bandwagon of clearing their stocks. As said in the article, the prices in the season ending sales are really cheap. Its a great time for mass shopping.
Talking about that comparison part, thanks to many widgets out there, online shopping comparison is very easy!
Cheers!
Hi Yashraj, You’re right, if people take time to use tech tools to comparison shop, they may get much better deals. Rushing into the first deal you see might not be the best idea. But you also don’t want to wait so long that the desired item is sold out. Shopping has become both easier and more complex with tech. Knowing how to navigate the shopping options can save you time and money.