Everyone wants to save money, and when it comes to buying things online, there are a variety of ways in which you can do this. You can comparison shop for the best price, hunt for coupons and offers, or look for the cheapest option – often, these are the same as one another. Believe it or not, there is a cheaper option out there that you may have never heard of, and it can change the game when it comes to your online shopping strategy.

Bargaining

Bargaining is an old-fashioned word that you probably don’t use very often in your day-to-day life. However, when it comes to online shopping, it’s a method that’s as effective as it is popular. Basically, when you’re shopping online, instead of just selecting what you want from a list of products, you have the ability to negotiate. To put it simply, you can say, “I will take this item for this price or less.” So, instead of just going with what your merchant wants, you can set a price limit – maybe even a discount – and you’ll have a better chance of scoring a great deal.

Flat-rate Shipping

Instead of having to pay for shipping, many online merchants will charge you a set amount – often, this is what is known as ‘flat-rate shipping’. So, instead of paying by weight, you will be charged a set price for shipping regardless of how much you purchase. Naturally, there are exceptions to this rule, like during the holiday season or if your order is over a certain size – but for the most part, this is an effective way to shop online without breaking the bank.

Deep Discounts

If you’re really looking to save, you can take advantage of deep discount offers from online merchants. Just like with flat-rate shipping, many online stores and platforms will offer amazing discounts if you purchase a certain amount during a certain time period. Naturally, you will have to keep an eye out for these offers as they can disappear rather quickly, so don’t get too attached to them – yet!

Dedicated Price Matching

While most online stores are likely to be reasonable when it comes to negotiating with you about the price of an item, sometimes dedicated price matching services exist that will battle it out with the merchant to give you the best deal possible. You’re definitely going to have to do your research before you make a commitment to any kind of price-match guarantee, but dedicated price matching services are a great option for people who want to get the best price possible for the items they purchase online.

Delivery Confirmation

Another way to save is by requesting delivery confirmation from your favorite online merchant. This is particularly useful if you have a bad experience with a previous merchant and want to ensure that this will be the exception – not the norm. When the time comes for the merchant to deliver your order, they will provide you with a receipt through mail, email, or text – usually, they will try to get you to acknowledge the delivery via one of these methods.

Use Coupons And Promotions

As we mentioned above, there is often more than one way to save money when shopping online, and one of the best methods is to use coupons and promotions. Many online storeswill give you a bonus or discount on your next purchase if you have a coupon for that store. In addition, some stores will give you an additional discount if you have the store’s smartphone app – the Starbucks mobile app, for example, provides a 10% discount for those who order through the app.

As you can see, there are many ways to save when shopping online, even though the prices may still be high – sometimes, they can be even higher than in physical stores. For some, the convenience may be worth it, but for most, cutting corners will simply mean lower savings and, in some cases, not being able to enjoy the luxury of online shopping at all.