7 tips to score the best shopping deals online

A major selling point of online merchants is convenience. With just a few clicks, your dream item becomes yours without the hassle of leaving the confines of your home. 

 

E-commerce offers a wider range of products and services, and the list just keeps on growing.

 

Data from the MasterCard Online Shopping Survey revealed that more than 58.8 percent of Filipinos shopped online in 2014 from 40.2 percent a year earlier.

 

Almost anything you can think of can be sourced online: books, furniture, clothing, booking flights, and renting out rooms. 

 

The very notion of online shopping is no longer limited to retail giants like Amazon or eBay, and it's not just products either. People are now also getting accustomed to sourcing services like booking a cab or a ride to work with GrabTaxi or Uber.

 

The best part of shopping in the digital world is that you can just browse from one site to the next to find the best deals online.

 

To help the bargain hunter in you, we’ve listed some tips on how to scout for discounts online.

 

1. Use your credit card

Your credit card is your best companion for deals and promos. It offers a variety of freebies and discounts on dining, leisure, and gadgets. Visit your card’s promo page for a complete list. Sometimes you can get cash-back or rebate on top of an already discounted item from an online store. Double discounts are always good.

 

2. Follow prominent bloggers

There is an array of bloggers out there. Some specialize in fashion and beauty, others in food, and some in travel. Companies often reach out to them for product endorsements that come with sweet deals and promos. Follow their blogs or their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to instantly be updated on the latest promos or even discount vouchers.

 

3. Window shop physical stores to know what’s in stock and check regular retail prices
 

Knowing ahead the original price of an item can help you score a great buy when you find a similar item offered at a huge discount online. This is essential since online retailers can mark up the retail price in order for the discount to look significant. Also, be mindful of delivery charges when buying from an overseas-based retailer.

 

4. Follow your favorite brands on social media

Facebook and Twitter are the places to hunt for the latest information on deals and promos offered by your favorite brand. Companies often post exclusive access to events, promos and deals to loyal followers. Don’t forget to sign up for newsletters if you’re really a fan of a site as that’s usually the best way to get the news about discount and additional vouchers.

 

5. Be mindful of forex rates

Foreign exchange rates fluctuate daily. When buying from an international retailer, most would show the price of the items in dollars. If you can wait for the days when the peso is strong against the dollar at around P41-P42=$1 then you’ll be able to save hundreds or even thousands of pesos.

 

Take note! Watch out for "buy now, pay later" options. For example, Agoda lets you book certain rooms without having to pay until a few days before your actual trip, which allows you to cancel if you change your mind. The exchange rate by the time you book your room will be different from the time it will be charged to your credit card. In this case, waiting to book your room until a lower exchange rate rolls along could backfire.

 

If you are paying via credit card, make sure to check your card’s terms on forex transactions. Depending on your card, banks slap an extra charge for international currency transactions, also called foreign transaction fees, which can range from 1.75 percent to 3.5 percent.

 

6. Clear your browser’s cache and history 

Sometimes you get a better deal by simply clearing your browsing history and cache. Websites, for example, airline sites use an algorithm that makes ticket prices go higher each time you view it. If you are canvassing prices and taking the time to mull over your options, clear your browsing history first when you finally decide to book.

 

Or better yet, use incognito mode! Yes, there is another use for that mode. 

 

7. Use location to your advantage

Perhaps you notice some websites ask for your location before redirecting you to a local version of their website. Similar to the example above, you may be able to book a cheaper flight if you book through the local site of an airline. Although time consuming, comparing rates from different base locations may come out cheaper than simply sticking to what is available by default.

 

Safety first!
 

Before you Google your next bargain, remember that the World Wide Web is full of bogus deals that may lure you into giving sensitive information such as your bank details. Be attentive before clicking on a link and take note of the following reminders to make your online shopping as painless as possible:

 

Stick to a trusted seller Rule of thumb: always do your research first before making any online purchase. Ask around if you’re unfamiliar with a particular merchant, or read reviews online. Remember that you are potentially entrusting your credit card information to an online merchant. And you don’t want to accidentally give your information to phishers and scammers.

 

Sign up with different passwords for different online merchants The last thing you want is having a security breach in one site or merchant and letting the hacker have access to the rest of your online accounts. It’s hard to keep track of multiple passwords, but at least use a unique password for sites or apps which you know you’ll be using for transactions.

 

Read the merchant’s return policy One drawback to buying online is you won’t have a chance to inspect the item beforehand. You’ll most probably find defects, or decide the color throws you off only after you receive it. By then it might be too late to have it refunded or replaced if you suddenly find out that neither option is allowed. Make sure to check for warranties and other similar policies.

 

Pay it safe If the merchant offers you several payment methods, opt to pay via credit card. Never pay through your debit card or wire transfer. If something goes wrong, and you don’t receive the item you already paid for, you can still call your credit card company to dispute the charges. But if you paid via debit or wire transfer, your cash is as good as gone. Make sure to ask for your card’s fraud protection policies before making any purchase online as an extra layer of protection. Some banks offer refunds for fraudulent transactions if you meet certain requirements.

 

Check your credit card bill online Make it a habit to check your credit card transactions. It’s especially important to check if you shop online a lot. This way you can immediately catch any unauthorized purchases. Always keep your receipts and compare them with your bank statements to check for fraud, and immediately report an incident to your credit card company. Regularly checking your bill online also allows you to monitor your expenses. You don’t want to be surprised at the end of each month with how much you’ve spent.

 

Avoid shopping in internet shops or over free public Wi-Fi Never make purchases online while you are connected to a free public Wi-Fi. Hotspots in malls and coffee shops are a playground for hackers. They can easily tap into an unsecured Wi-Fi connection and get your personal information. The same goes for shopping online at internet cafes. Internet shops can phishing grounds of hackers, who can get the accounts of a lot of people in just one computer.

 

Always check the URL Be wary of phishing sites! These are sites that look like a legit online store (even one that you shop normally at) but are actually fakes! These are quite common and as soon as you key in your personal information, it’s as good as stolen. Keep an eye out on the URL to see if there are any oddities to the domain name.

 

The online realm can be a haven for some of the best deals and bargains if you know how to find the right one.

 

You can start right now by checking out which credit card suits you best for shopping online.

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This article first appeared in slightly different form on iMoney.