Over the last few years, many people in India have become accustomed to online shopping. Whether it’s to order groceries, clothes, gifts, food, or snacks before a cricket match, most people have become accustomed to e-commerce websites and apps. These sites offer unmatched convenience, with groceries, clothes, gadgets, home appliances, and other items delivered straight to one’s doorstep. As if ease wasn’t enough of a selling point, customers can also save more with e-commerce sites.

Compare prices
One of the first things to do is to research the prices of the products across various sites. This process helps one locate the retailer with the best price, helping one save money right from the get-go. Apart from major e-commerce websites, it’s also a good idea to look at local websites and online marketplaces.

For those who are not keen on scouring the web to compare prices, they can use a price comparison tool. All one needs to do here is add their product, and the tool will find the website offering the lowest prices in a single click.

Check out coupon websites
Next, browse through some coupon websites. With a simple browser search, buyers can find third-party websites that host a wide variety of coupons and deals. These websites work by scouting the web for all sorts of offers—from those hosted in giveaways and by social media influencers to sale season highlights. These could be product-specific or site-wide coupons and are a great way of shopping online without breaking the bank.

Keep an eye out for deals on social media
Have a favorite online retailer? Consider giving them a follow on social media. Many e-sellers use their social media accounts to announce new products, exclusive deals, and more. Some may also drop limited-time-only coupons, which could be a great way to slash prices on one’s cart. This strategy is often used by brands like Zivame and BlinkIt. These brands also offer coupon codes on their products and services.

Subscribe to newsletters and daily emails
Another great way of staying up to date with a company’s deals, news, and offerings is by signing up for their newsletters or updates. This is especially useful for comprehensive travel websites like Booking.com, as they compile the best discounts from various flight service providers, hotels, cab services, and more and deliver them straight to one’s inbox.

Shop around the festive season
It may also be a good idea to shop during the festive or sale season. Most brands host exclusive deals around Holi, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, New Year, and other major festivals in the country. Make a shopping list and wait for these sales to roll around to get the best deals and offers on products and services.

Pay via an e-wallet or credit card
The mode of payment can also bring in savings! Gone are the days of bargaining with vendors and paying in cash. With online shopping, buyers are more likely to get better deals when paying with an e-wallet or a credit card. On both these payment options, one can get a ton of cashback on their purchases, helping them save while they shop. Brands like Vijay Sales are quite popular for offering instant discounts, coupons, and cashback with certain bank cards and payment options.

Look for cashback
Sales and coupons are not the only way to save a few bucks while shopping. Keep an eye out for cashback deals offered by the site. If not, one can use cashback apps or affiliate links via third-party websites to save more.

Join an online buying community
Many people are not aware of this option, but there are several online buying communities on social media platforms and other online forums. Here, individuals share their personal experiences of buying from a brand, including reviews and details about the products (expiry, discontinuation, etc). Buyers may also be able to find information about their expected sales and best offers.

Shop incognito
Several sites offer dynamic pricing based on criteria such as one’s location, browsing history, and past purchases. With this information, the website automatically adjusts the prices, limiting the availability of offers or discounts to new customers only. This can easily be side-stepped by switching to an incognito page on one’s device. Alternatively, consider clearing all browsing history and cookies on the search engine or use multiple email IDs to create new accounts to get first-purchase discounts.

Abandon the shopping cart
Lastly, fill out the shopping cart and leave the website! No, this doesn’t mean one needs to bid adieu to their pain-staking research. This is a common tactic people use, known as shopping cart abandonment. Since incomplete sales are a major cause of concern for several companies, they will write back to shoppers to gently coax them into buying their products the next day, perhaps using discount codes or freebies. Although it doesn’t work for all e-commerce sites, it can be a great way of saving a little bit more.