Audio Version: Let Me Hear It!
There is a lot to be said for the convenience of online shopping: no driving, no lines, no make-up. Yet, as comfortable as the online experience may be, you could be over-paying for your web finds. Before you start your holiday perusing au naturel, consider these simple online tricks to make it the most wonderful – but less expensive – time of year.
Toss Your Cookies: We mean this more literally than figuratively, and you’ll gladly toss ’em when you hear this: Anytime you visit an online retailer, you leave a trail of small text files called cookies. Retailers use these little crumbs to track your interests. It’s no coincidence that those booties you’ve been eyeing keep popping up on your browser – it’s dynamic marketing. While you might not mind being haunted by the booties, the real harm is that once retailers know you’re interested in the shoes, or a new table, or a flight to Hawaii, they may increase the price, shut off the discount code or remove free shipping offers from your next view. To avoid this pricing trap, throw them off your scent by deleting your cookies periodically or update your settings to toss them automatically each time you close your browser.
Think Before You Click: Before you click that checkout button, look for a deal. Search the words “coupon” or “code” alongside the retailer’s name or visit a popular coupon code site like RetailMeNot. Many stores offer free shipping or 10%-30% off coupon codes for those that take the time to look. This simple habit might keep you from throwing away some decent cash this holiday season – maybe even enough to buy those booties!
