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Bargain Hunting: Tips for Shopping Online

18/08/2015

There’s no doubt about it, online shopping is getting easier every day. We don’t have the time (or patience) to trawl through endless high street stores rummaging bargains; and why should we? Everything we need is right at our fingertips. But while we’re content relaxing on the sofa browsing the web, we often forget that online shopping can sometimes be even more difficult. With so many options and so much room for being scammed, it’s easy to get put off. Below, we take a look at some tips for online shopping safely, and how to find the best deals!

Safety First

We all have our favourite online stores, and often it’s good to shop with those that are tried and tested. Be careful when typing a website into a search engine. Some scammers use slightly different spellings of web addresses and offer prices that seem unrealistic. Watch out for these sites as they will do anything to get your information! Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Security

Never buy from sites that do not have a secure checkout. You can check this by looking at the address bar while you’re on the payment screen. Secure sites will have a little padlock icon (this is sometimes at the bottom of the screen instead). The address in the payment screen will start “https:// ” rather than “http:// “. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to try somewhere else, or contact the retailer.

Right, now that we’ve got all the serious stuff out the way, let’s get down to business: it’s time to go bargain hunting!

Sales

Most of the time, online stores will make sure you know if they’re on sale. You’ll get emails, see it on the homepage and on social media. There are usually big sales during Spring, Summer and of course the Christmas Sales! These are starting earlier every year, so you don’t have to wait until January; it’s worth looking for last minute presents up to a week before Christmas.

Off-Season Shopping

If you’re anything like us, the last thing you want to think about in the middle of August is winter. Then once the temperature goes below zero, you’ll finally admit to yourself it’s time to buy a winter coat. But, there’s a lot to be said for shopping off season. Most companies drop the prices of their boots and jackets in summer, and similarly their t-shirts and flip flops in winter. So if you want to plan ahead, spend twenty minutes or so browsing the website (they won’t want to shout about their dropped prices, so it might be a bit harder to find them!).

Promotion Codes

When stores aren’t on sale, there are often other promotional codes out there that can be used online. It’s worth doing a search to check these out. Many websites like moneysupermarket.com and voucherbox.co.uk keep up to date with the latest codes, for all kinds of different stores. It’s worth keeping an eye on Facebook and Twitter too, as often companies put competitions or deals exclusively on these platforms. Vouchers and codes can range from 20% off everything, to lowered prices to free delivery – definitely worth checking for these regularly!

Sizing

Another difficulty with online shopping is sizing. We all know, if you wear a medium t-shirt in your favourite brand, it doesn’t mean you need a medium in all t-shirts. Checking each website’s size guides is important. They will give you measurements in either inches or centimetres, so you can compare their items to what you already have. Some websites use American and European sizes, especially in footwear. It’s worth doing a quick search to clarify how these sizes equate with UK sizes.

Reviews

Nearly all websites have reviews on them. These reviews can tell you about delivery speed, quality of product, sizing and more so having a quick look at them can be helpful. Another good place to check for this is Facebook and Twitter again. Customers often leave reviews on social media so keep your eye out!

Now you’re all set to get bargain hunting online! Remember, at MandM, we’re always on sale and with up to 65% less than RRP off big brand names such as adidas, Diesel and Jack and Jones. So whatever your budget, you’re sure to find something you love.