7 Pro Tips on Finding The Best Deals Online

Have you ever bought something online, only to stumble across a different website selling the exact same product for much cheaper? It can be extremely frustrating! But what if we told you you won’t need to go through that ever again? In this Carrot blog, we’ll tell you how to find the best deals online every time you shop. Let’s begin!

1. Add to Your Cart and Leave

This is called the “two-stage” shopping process. Go to whichever online store you wish and add all the products you want to your cart. After doing that, close that tab and wait a couple of days. Doing so will let the store know that you want to buy those things, but something’s stopping you.

Chances are that you will receive an email from that store to entice you into completing the purchase. Usually, such emails are in the form of price drops that are “just for you” or coupon codes. However, this method is not always effective. Browser extensions like Carrot can help here. Carrot will not only notify you when the price drops, but it will also auto-save your cart. This way, you can always come back to it at a later date.

Related: The Ultimate Guide on How To Use Carrot

2. Figure Out the “Right Day” to Shop

Check for sales that happen on certain days of the week. A lot of stores offer discounts and some of the best online deals on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

And, if you’re not in a hurry to purchase, try to wait for the closest “big sale” day like a holiday. Some of these days that take place once a year are Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Monday, and even Amazon Prime Day.

Such days are great for finding bargains, but be careful not to buy things you didn’t plan to purchase. If you find what you’re looking for, you can walk away with a good deal.

3. Beware/Take Advantage of Free Shipping

Free shipping, unfortunately, doesn’t always automatically translate to the best online deals. While free shipping is often seen as a perk, it doesn’t always mean the cost of the product is discounted. In fact, you may end up paying more for the product on a site that offers free shipping than on one that doesn’t. Make sure you always compare the final checkout prices on multiple online stores before actually checking out!

On the other hand, some stores offer free shipping year-round on a minimum order amount. Others offer free shipping codes at random times throughout the year. This can help you save up if your final bill is over the minimum order amount.

4. Make Sure to Ask For Price Adjustments

A price adjustment can be requested if the price of a product drops soon after you purchase it. Many retailers offer an online price-adjustment policy that refunds the difference between the price you paid and the current sale price, as long as you meet certain criteria.

Related: The 4 Best Tools to Track Prices and Get More for Your Money

The time period retailers offer for price adjustments will vary, but it’s typically based on when you made your purchase. For example, one store may offer a refund within 10 days, while another may wait 14 days. It’s always a good idea to ask when you check out.

5. Use Social Media to Your Advantage

A lot of online sales take place without a formal announcement. However, there are many influencers and bloggers who are “in” on the secret sales. Following them on social media sites like Twitter or Instagram can help you discover some of these offers.

Retailers’ social media posts can also help you save money. By keeping an eye on their posts about certain brands, you can find good deals on products that you might not have known about otherwise. For example, if you see a lot of hashtags about Kylie Cosmetics, start looking for deals on the brand online.

6. Buy Gift Cards at a Discount

If you know you’re going to spend money at a specific store, buying discounted gift cards can be a huge money saver. Various sites let users sell their unwanted gift cards at a reduced rate. If buying discounted gift cards online makes you uncomfortable, you can also buy them at Costco. The store sells a lot of discounted gift cards to restaurants, retail stores, and spas!

7. Use Carrot

Carrot is a Google Chrome extension that helps you automatically collect and keep track of your shopping carts. This browser extension tracks prices and notifies when there’s a price drop so you don’t miss a good deal.

Sounds like magic, doesn’t it? Besides this, you can also create wishlists and collections of your saved products on Carrot. Anddd, the extension also allows you to share the links of your curated collections with whomever you want! Did we mention it’s freeee?