Purchasing Power: The 7 Secrets of Savvy Shoppers
Experienced shoppers know how to get the most out of the money they spend. From picking the right times to buy to buying the right kinds of merchandise, they know exactly what do. If you need to learn how to shop like an expert, here’s what you do.
When shopping online, use live chat for information
To many shoppers, the live chat facility on an online shopping site is only there to assist with questions when they don’t understand something. They rarely think to try live chat when they simply need to know about discounts. Live chat, though, can easily help you here – with information on everything from the latest offers that they have on a product at the store to information about when a cheap product might be back in stock or go on sale. They may even offer you a little help getting the store’s free shipping if you’re short of the minimum. You just need to ask.
Clip coupons on your smartphone
While it does make sense to do your couponing homework before you set off for the shops, you can use your smartphone right at the store to look at Sumo Coupon here. Whatever must-have purchases you see at the store, you can quickly look up coupons right there in the aisle.
Receipts equal savings
Many shoppers don’t realize that there’s such a thing as asking for a price match. Most stores do accept these requests, though. If you make a purchase at one store but find a lower price at another, you can typically go back, show the store the receipt and ask for a refund of the difference. Receipts usually also have other saving opportunities – contests and generously rewarded surveys, for instance.
Know when it is off-season for different kinds of merchandise
Stores follow set cycles to order merchandise and to put them on clearance sale. For sweaters, you need to shop in April, at the end of winter. If you want summer wear, you need to shop in November. Some stores like Nordstrom run ahead-of-season sales, too. It makes sense to know the different cycles that the best stores follow for major areas of merchandise. You can save as much as 90% off the price tag when you shop at the right times.
Call a salesperson a friend
Serious shoppers usually have a way to get inside information on upcoming sales – they make friends with professional salespeople at every important store. When there’s good merchandise coming in or an important sale, they get a call ahead of time. Flash-sales may be a big surprise to regular shoppers – to the store, though, they can be months in planning. If you have someone on the inside, you’ll know about it.
Be careful about what you buy
Many clothing shoppers make the mistake of buying items just because they are cheap – they neglect to understand that a poorly chosen product is a loss even if it’s a great deal. Clothes that don’t go with anything are always a bad idea, though – even if they are cheap.
Finally, make sure that you invest in as many classics as you can find
You shouldn’t waste your money on pointless clothes that don’t go with anything. This also means that you should do the opposite – always buy classics and other kinds of clothing choices that go with everything. You’ll end up needing to shop far less often when you have clothing always goes well together. If you want to be a smart shopper, the rule to live by is simply this: get as much as possible out of every item you buy.
Russell Matthews enjoys his new vocation as a stay-at-home dad. With years as an accountant behind him, he often writes about ways for the everyday household to spend smart and save smart in their budgets. You can follow Russell on Twitter.
