8 Things Online Shopping Whizzes Know And You Don’t

With online shopping becoming the new norm and more people spending their money on ecommerce, there has been a significant shift in purchasing behaviour and generational gaps have become more evident. With online shopping set to rise by almost 50% over the next year, tech newbies are searching for tips and tricks to tackle this new phenomenon and we have the answers. Here is everything you need to know to make online shopping a hassle-free and enjoyable experience.

1. Safety first

Cybersecurity is one of the most common fears amongst people who don’t shop online. Always research if the site is secure before entering your financial information. You can do this by checking for a small padlock symbol in the browser window or verifying if the web address begins with https:// as the ‘s’ stands for secure. This confirms that the site has an SSL certificate which authenticates the identity of the business and secures data during checkout.

2. Don’t wait around for delivery

Nowadays there is a range of different delivery options available when you shop online- some more flexible and reliable than others. You can either opt for home delivery, which may involve waiting around or even worse, a missed delivery. Otherwise, you can collect the product in store during their opening hours. There is usually also the choice to Click and Collect from convenient Pargo Pick Up Points at accessible retailers nationwide, allowing you to combine your parcel collection and errands while on the go.

3. Compare prices to get the best deal

Make sure to find the best deals by using online price comparison sites such as PriceCheck. Instead of traipsing around comparing the price of one product at five different stores, these websites do the hard work for you by combining the price of one product across multiple websites in order to ensure you always find the best price.

4. Promo codes and partnerships

There are many different ways to get exclusive discounts when shopping online. Follow the brand on social media to be in the know about upcoming sales, discounts and contests. Discover their brand advocates and use these influencers’ promo codes for a special discount. Ask for promo codes directly the next time an online chat box appears on the site.

5. Discover new brands

Shopping online gives the added bonus of enabling you to discover new brands and niche local stores you may not have even heard of before. Some of these online retailers may not even have a physical store in real life so take advantage of this novelty by supporting up and coming brands.

6. Simple returns

There is nothing worse than buying something and then it’s the wrong colour or it doesn’t fit correctly. Make sure to check the Returns Policy before purchasing, but normally if you choose to collect it in store then you can return the product easily. Pargo also offers a simple and hassle-free returns policy; just drop off your goods at a Pargo Point to return them instead of waiting around all day for a courier service to collect the order.

7. Sign up, sign up, sign up

The easiest way to get exclusive discounts when you shop online is by signing up for store credit cards or joining their brand newsletter. Signing up to these will give you the insider’s knowledge to ensure you are the first to know about upcoming promotions.

8. Go incognito

Switching your browser to Incognito when shopping online will also help you to get a good deal. Ever tried searching for airline tickets and the next time you went back to check the price it had gone up, therefore giving you an urgency to buy? This is a classic remarketing tactic which you can avoid by using an Incognito browser to mask your search history and hide traces of data.

Whether you are new to ecommerce or just trying to get a good deal on your next purchase, give these online shopping hacks a try.