Missing out on online sales and paying full price can be frustrating. Be prepared for annual sale events by planning your online shopping well in advance.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you save money on sales and at other times of the year too.
Buy things at the right time
Whether you’re hoping to snap up a cut-price fridge in the sales, or stock up on back-to-school items without spending a fortune, only buying things at certain times of the year can save you a lot of money. If you are buying out of sale time, use the chat boxes on websites to ask questions and request a discount. It may work and it’s worth a try to see if the advertised price is the best the store can do, especially if you see it advertised cheaper somewhere else.
Keep track of online sales
There are quite a few sales that occur annually, so you might want to pop a reminder in your calendar to know when online sales, deals and promotions are coming up. Keep an ongoing list of gift ideas for family and friends throughout the year, so you can capitalise on sales when they roll around.
Get to know the seasonal trends
January offers good back-to-school sales and end-of- summer promotions. Retailers also jump on the sales bandwagon around Australia Day with cut-price wares. Other promotions to be aware of include Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day sales prior to May 10 and end of financial year (EOFY) sales before June 30.
You may also find seasonal bargains throughout the year on goods like clothing and homewares as new stock lands for winter and summer. November is packed with sales too, including Click Frenzy, Black Friday and Cyber Monday – and don’t forget Boxing Day sales in December.
Sign up for store newsletters
Never want to miss a good deal? Signing up for newsletters at the stores you shop at regularly can often get you a discount code right away, but you’ll also be first to hear of any future sales too. You might want to create a rule in your email to send these to a separate folder and just check them a couple of times a week, rather than having them clog up your inbox constantly – or create a separate account for all the store newsletters you subscribe to.
Keeping a rolling shopping list
An online shopping list is a great way to ensure you’re never stuck for a gift idea or forget about cool things you’ve seen but can’t afford right now. Save items to a wish list, keep a list in your notes, or take screenshots to save your items of interest. This can help you avoid ‘panic buying’ at the time or having to return items you change your mind about.
Save by leaving the site
Yes, we know that sounds crazy – but abandoning your shopping cart before you buy could actually score you a nice little discount. Most stores will try to chase you down with a friendly email and discount code to tempt you to come back to the online store and finish your purchase. Similarly, adding items to your ‘wish list’ when you’re at the online store may mean the store will alert you when the price of those items goes on sale.
Be smart when buying clothes
Try clothes on in store ahead of time so you know exactly what will suit you when you purchase on the website. And don’t forget to check the store’s returns policy before you buy – especially around sales. You might find yourself with something you’ve purchased and don’t like, but can’t return.