(Redmond, WA, Tuesday, June 7, 2022) – Though inflation rates are easing, summer is a time when a flurry of activities and experiences can quickly add up for consumers’ bank accounts. Whether traveling to see friends and family, camping, going to the beach or simply enjoying outdoor summer activities, shopping online can help make summer fun more affordable. To ensure the best prices, there are a few shopping strategies to keep in mind:
- Wait and shop at the right time
- Make a list of items you’d like to purchase this year and research the best times to shop so you can get the best deal possible.
- For example, according to NerdWallet, if you’re looking for fitness equipment for your home gym or TVs and electronics, then take advantage of discounts in January. If you need to replace your old mattress, buy in September around Labor Day.
- Use online shopping tools for price comparison, cash back and coupons or discounts
- Look for shopping apps and tools to help you get the best deals. For example, people save about 20% – or $25 – when using a browser with built-in tools, like Microsoft Edge.
- Some of these tools include coupon alerts, price comparisons, price history trend data, reviews/ratings, and express checkout.
- Avoid markups by beating dynamic pricing
- Have you ever gone to buy a plane ticket and realized that the price has gone up within a matter of hours? That is dynamic pricing (also known as surge pricing, demand pricing and time-based pricing).
- To avoid markups, delete your browser’s cookies or shop in a private window, especially when buying airline tickets or booking a hotel room.
- Also, if you don’t need an item urgently, leave it in the cart. You’ll likely get an email the same day or a day or two later that the item you were thinking of purchasing has had a price drop.
- Use your credit card’s cash back
- If you have a cash-back credit card, you make back some of what you spent on your regular purchases like gas, groceries and household products. It adds up quickly!
- Join loyalty and rewards programs
- These programs are generally free and you can receive coupons and discounts for future purchases.
Smart shopping pays off. Use these five tips while shopping online for all your summer needs.