Shopping for bargains online can save your business a lot of time and money on the bestselling products that your employees use most, as well as new and exciting ones. Here are some tips for finding the best bargains online.
Sort by discount
When you do a search for an item at some major retailers, you can select to only see products that are discounted a certain percentage. This allows you to find the most marked down merchandise quickly and easily.
Deals of the day
Major online retailers often have a deal of the day. It can be a good idea to check this out since the discounts can be steep. Some have many deals of the day in different categories. Even some small retailers are choosing to have a daily deal to draw traffic to their online store.
Shop out of season
Try shopping off-season – i.e. for your team activity for summer in autumn or winter – and be amazed at the clearance price savings you can get. It can take some getting used to shopping out of season, but once you get started, it is easy to get in the habit of doing it.
Know your rights
Some online businesses offer discounts to businesses, students, senior citizens, and former or current members of the military. You may have to submit a scan of your ID or similar to prove that you qualify, but with savings averaging 5% to 10%, it is well worth it to do so.
Check out multiple sites
Some search engines such as Google and Yahoo have a feature that allows you to search for products. The results returned to you give you a lot of options that you can sort by total price, shipping time, etc. These searches are not totally inclusive of all prices on the internet, but they can be a good place to start. Make sure you check out individual business sites from standard search results as well. Specialty items don’t always appear with many results when using the shopping function on Google, Yahoo, etc., so a regular search might be the only way to do a price comparison.
Buy used
There are many auction sites and second-hand merchandise stores that can offer some great bargains and style. More bootstrapped business owners are discovering the world of used, high-quality designer clothing. Online auction sites can be great places to find vintage goods and rare items. Sometimes, items are not even used but merely factory returns or overstock.
Skip the high-budget advertisers
Ever wonder why some products sell for more but are not any better in quality? The answer is marketing and advertising costs. If a large company is spending a lot to advertise, then they have to pass that cost on to the customer in order to meet their target profit. Companies such as Carol Wright Gifts can offer high-quality merchandise at low prices because they use economical advertising choices to show potential customers what they offer. Television and social media advertising offer a winning combination for keeping prices more affordable for those on a budget.
Buy in bulk
If you use an item a lot, you can save by purchasing in larger quantities. This might mean buying six tubes of toothpaste instead of one or two. Buying four jars of peanut butter can save a few dollars. While this might seem like small amounts, the savings can actually add up rather quickly. If you can cut $20 a month off your dry goods bill, then you are saving $240 a year. If you manage to slash $50 a month from your expenses, then you pocket a cool $600.
Create a list of what you use the most
There are some items that you are going to use a lot more of than others. Keep a list of what you use the most so that you can be on the lookout for a better deal. Some retailers save your past orders, and this makes them a good place to look for items on your list.
Sign up for auto order for high-use items
If you are a busy person and know that you are going to keep using a product for the long term, you can sometimes set up an arrangement for a set amount of a product to be sent to you on a schedule. Some retailers even offer a 5% or better discount on orders when you create an arrangement.
Always be looking for a great deal
If you want to save the most online, then make sure that you are always on the lookout for bargains. Sometimes, signing up for newsletters can bring the savings right to your inbox.
