5 TIPS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

5 TIPS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING
BY: MELANIE BREEZE
shopping online has become more and more popular
in america as we are all looking to save a
LITTLE TIME AND MONEY. E-COMMERCE SALES ARE
growing at astronomical numbers ranging from
20-25% per year. and according to forrester
RESEARCH, 40% OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE USING COUPONS IN
their web shopping. the huge increases are
obvious: the online savings and discounts are
IMPOSSIBLE TO MATCH BY TRADITIONAL STORES
constrained by the overhead costs of employees,
rent, and insurance. by using some of the tips
AND TRICKS MENTIONED BELOW, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO
take further advantage of a new american
pastime: saving with online shopping!

tip 1: don't buy ebay. we all know online
auctions seem like such a great deal, and it's
EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE EMOTION OF AUCTION.
thing is, auction sites like ebay and ubid have
become saturated with buyers and sellers, so
VIRTUALLY ANY DISCOUNT FOUND IS QUICKLY SOUGHT
by re-distributors who then add their own
markups to your purchase. the online marketplace
HAS ENOUGH PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN END UP
spending hundreds of extra dollars for the same
things found in your local mall! don't let your
EMOTIONS GET INVOLVED - THESE ARE NOT THE RIGHT
places for the aware shopper.

TIP 2: NEVER PAY RETAIL. TAKE THIS SCENARIO: YOU
find something you want to buy, maybe the latest
craze or fad such as the ipod. should you really
PAY THE PRICE THAT APPLE IS OFFERING? NO! YOU
can find many deals and coupons for the same
purchase just by typing, for example, "ipod
COUPONS" INTO GOOGLE. SPEND A LITTLE TIME
searching through the top ten to twenty results,
you're sure to find the same product for a
SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT. SOMETIMES, BY FILLING OUT
a survey or signing up for an email list, you'll
get additional savings and many times you can
EVEN GET YOUR PRODUCT FOR FREE!

tip 3: get over your instant gratification
DESIRE. JUST ADMIT IT, BUYING SOMETHING ALWAYS
gives you a good feeling and you can't wait to
take pleasure in that new purchase. anything
YOU'RE BUYING AT THE MALL FOR THAT SAME GOOD
feeling can usually be found for a huge discount
online. you just have to be willing to wait for
THE SHORT 2-5 DAYS THAT IT TAKES FOR SHIPPING.
it's definitely worth the savings to able to
control your emotions and hold off until it
ARRIVES VIA UPS!

tip 4: watch out for excessive shipping charges.
MANY TIMES RETAILERS SLASH THEIR COSTS TO GET
the sale but then charge more for shipping. make
sure to check the final cost to ensure you
DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY UNWARRANTED CHARGES. YOU
should also find a free shipping deal at any of
the online coupon sites. sometimes the shipping
CAN COST MORE THAN YOUR PURCHASE!

tip 5: online coupons: were you aware of online
COUPON WEBSITES THAT HAVE DISCOUNT AND PROMOTION
codes to nearly all internet stores? these types
of websites always have up to date discount
OFFERS ARRANGED BY CATEGORY OR STORE, SO YOU CAN
always find something on sale. it's not only a
way to get a good deal but you can also find
SOME OF THE FREE SHIPPING OFFERS LISTED IN TIP
4. just be careful to check for a coupon code
before making any internet purchase. it's a
SIMPLE WAY TO FIND EXTRA SAVINGS.

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about the author:

MELANIE BREEZE
www.couponchief.com [2]provides free online
coupons, deals, and discount offers to hundreds
OF INTERNET STORES. THEY UPDATE THEIR COUPONS
daily and offer a free newsletter to savvy
shoppers.

CIRCULATED BY ARTICLE EMPORIUM [3]
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