10 Ways to Save Money in India While Shopping Online
Although visiting an offline shop is still feasible for some people, you will enjoy more ease and convenience when it comes to online shopping. And if you are a shopaholic Indian, you know how great it feels when you search for something online, pay for it with some clicks, and get the doorstep delivery.
Top Tips to Save Money on Online Shopping in India
Online retailers nowadays help us indulge in retail therapy, directly from home. Moreover, every online store is trying to provide the best possible deal. Better deals, discounts, coupons, and cashback are one of the perks you are going to enjoy if you shop online.
However, alongside going crazy about online shopping, you should check your wallet as well. For budget-conscious shopping, we have some of the best money-saving tips and tricks for you. Let’s read them below!
1. Look for Products with Free Shipping
Not every site charges the same shipping and delivery fees. They may vary across sellers, websites, or addresses. However, some eCommerce websites provide free shipping, regardless of your location. Also, there are some websites that provide free shipping just after a minimal buying amount.
2. Make a Budget for Your Online Shopping
If you are a budget-conscious shopper or want to make some savings, you should set a budget first. This helps you avoid temptations like discounts, cashback, buy 1 get 1 free, etc. Make your budget according to your shopping list.
The non-negotiable, important products you should purchase online every month represent your fixed prices. Calculate the total amount roughly. Now check how these fit into the whole budget.
3. Compare Product Prices across Sites
If you have planned what to purchase, check different browser extensions or price comparison sites that allow comparing prices of products across some well-known shopping hubs. A few also mention details of every extra offer from merchants or banks that can help you save money while buying online.
4. Look at Product Reviews
If you don’t believe a product’s price, just look at its reviews. Reviews on the websites could be fake or biased, although there are some authentic ones also. Some websites also publish product reviews. So, remember your budget and needs.
Check whether your friends or co-workers have purchased the same product and what their experience was. Reviews may also signify if a product displayed is an earlier version, thereby priced lower. However, if you find it suitable, just go for it and save your pocket.
5. Sign up for In-Stock Email Notifications and Newsletters
People don’t like to see a product out of stock. They try to avoid such notifications also. The smarter way is to register for in-stock email notifications. Using this small trick, you will get immediate notification on your number or email ID as early as the item is back in stock.
Registering for newsletters is another great way to get information about the discounts in advance. Some merchants share their deals and coupon codes in newsletters.
6. Create More Than One Account for Better Deals
In many cases, new users get better deals than old ones. If you have to buy many products, form multiple accounts on the same website, and enjoy lots of new user offers.
7. Buy through a Mobile App
Mobile apps are extremely feasible when it comes to buying online. Moreover, some apps provide huge discounts for shopping. Some eCommerce sellers provide exclusive shopping offers only for app users. After all, the mobile focus is very easy and helps customers make instant decisions.
Besides, mobile apps are highly beneficial if you don’t have enough time to check the whole website. If you don’t have access to a laptop or desktop all the time, just use your mobile and purchase through an app.
8. Search for the Best Cashback Offers
Coupon codes are not the single way of becoming a wise buyer. Cashback is there also. Search for the most beneficial cashback deals on the official website of a merchant. No worries if you don’t find it; just browse through Google.
Many websites like Pennyful and CashKaro have affiliations with some merchants. You can earn cashback as long as you visit the site via those affiliate links. You just need to form accounts on such sites and browse through different cashback deals they provide.
9. Leave Products in the Shopping Cart
This smart trick works great for products you don’t require immediately. Undergo your shopping list and choose some items that can wait a while. When you have discovered a product online, just create an account on the website, and add that product to your cart.
Now you have to wait. Generally, online shops have systems for motivating you to complete your purchase. You might receive ads and email notifications for that product that will be possibly visible on other websites you visited. This is known as Retargeting. But, you should wait and don’t get fooled by attempts to make a sense of emergency like “only 1 left in stock”.
Some retailers eventually provide discounts or coupons for the products left in the shopping cart so they can close the deal ASAP. So, just go for it.
10. Look at Online Buying Communities
There are some purposeful websites that showcase deals across online stores and also have engaging and interactive forums where members can share their experiences, deals, and post reviews on products. This will help you get another perspective, particularly in case a deal appears doubtful, or in case there is a previous version, discontinued item, etc.
11. Wait for the Festive Sales
During festivals, you can shop more online. This is because many online shops provide heavy discounts during these seasons. Sometimes, you can receive discounts up to 70-80% on your favorite items.
12. Use a Wallet or Credit Card
You can enjoy exclusive discounts and offers if you purchase via e-Wallet or credit cards. Different banks provide distinct kinds of rewards if you use their credit cards. Also, you can get at least 1% cashback on online shopping done through your credit card.
13. Purchase Gift Cards
Online gift cards are becoming extremely popular nowadays. It’s a great gifting idea as it enables the receiver to select the products they need most. Moreover, using gift cards could even help you win coupons, cashback, and discounts.
14. Choose No Interest EMI Options
With tons of online buying websites offering EMI options, you can purchase your favorite product without spoiling your monthly budget. Conduct a thorough study and select a website that provides interest-free EMIs for saving a lot on your online purchase.
Be a Smart Buyer in 2021
The aforesaid tips would need your patience but they are some great solutions to saving a lot on online buying in India. You need to explore these tricks and combine them to receive some of the best deals on online purchases. Also, stay tuned to different social platforms to get info regarding the latest offers, sales, etc. on some products.
