If there’s one thing that I love it’s online shopping. How convenient it is — in every single way. But, if there’s one thing I really hate about online shopping it’s shipping costs.
Especially around the holidays, it’s important to be mindful of shipping costs. Even if they may seem small per transaction, they can add up quickly & unnecessarily. Here are my tips to avoiding shipping costs as much as possible.
- KNOW YOUR STUFF: Some online retailers don’t have shipping costs at all, whereas some have only shipping fees & some have shipping and customs fees, depending on where you live & where you’re buying from. Knowing what you’re dealing with (shipping wise) first will save you the trouble of abandoning your cart later.
- JUST ASK: Retailers know customers hate shipping costs. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask for a free shipping or other coupon code. Do this while shopping using available chat functions. The worst thing that will happen is they say no. (I’ve noticed for some online retailers, that I have an account with, they’ll email me a discount code or free gift with purchase if I abandon my cart.
- SALE EVENTS: Look for & shop on special free shipping event days. Black Friday & Cyber Monday (the Friday & Monday after Thanksgiving) are typical for these kinds of sales. Independent retailers who don’t offer free shipping year round, tend to save these event for the end of the year to make room for new inventory. & Always follow your favorite brands & stores on social media so you don’t miss out on any exclusive news.
- PURCHASE MINIMUM: Many online retailers tend to offer free shipping with a purchase minimum. By planning shopping around this fact, you can save yourself the loss of spending money & temptation to spend on yourself just for free shipping. I did this last year & it was beneficial in so many unexpectedly awesome ways — like everything showing up one time in one box because I used Old Navy, Kohl’s & Walmart instead of Wish (no shade, unless you’re relying on quick shipping every time). Another tip is to go in on a larger purchase with someone you life with or near (as long as you’re not ordering each other something).
- COUPON CODES: If you can get money off the purchase that covers the cost of shipping, then you’ve covered the cost of shipping.
- HONEY: Honey is a free browser add on that’s quick to install & easy to use. It basically does all the coupon searching for you as you shop to save you money with just one click.
- AMAZON PRIME: If you have Amazon Prime, make sure you’re using it. Every time you search, make sure to select the Prime shipping option to prevent yourself the heartache of falling for something with 13$ shipping. The Amazon Prime Home Sharing option makes it easy to share Prime benefits at home (duh).
- IN STORE: In store shopping on in store pick up from online shopping is the fool proof way to avoid shipping fees. Online shopping is a great way to get sucked into the computer this holiday season. Remember that while it’s convenient, many times you can score once in a lifetime deals in store that you’ll never see online. Additionally, some things need to be experienced before bought: Shade test make up; Smell test fragrances, Feel test fabrics, Road test cars.
PRO TIP: Check the retailer’s return policy & make sure it’s user friendly if you think your gift might be just a little off. For example, remember how I said I only used Old Navy, Kohl’s & Walmart? They all have in store return options with tons of locations nationally — making gift receipts the least of your worries (But, don’t forget those either!)
Neat & Messy 