10 Ways To Shop Smarter, Cheaper And Faster
Tags: Sales, Ecommerce, Shopping, Strategy, Deal

shopping fast and smart

The proportion of e-commerce sales compared to other sales have been steadily increasing every year, particularly for non-food purchases. Why? Because online shopping is much more convenient, saving you valuable money, time and stress.

We’ve all been there; you head to the shops, excited to buy something new. 3 hours later, you’re still schlepping around the shopping mall trying to find what you need, not really sure of the best price, or whether there’s something better available.

Luckily, technological advances mean that it’s becoming easier and easier to shop and find exactly what you need. By using shopping list apps and pre-planning, you can take the hassle out of shopping.

So, how can you ensure a seamless shopping experience?

Research and plan

The internet is an amazing resource (in case you hadn’t noticed!) and many websites now have reviews forums. By researching the products on the market, you can determine the best model for your budget and your needs. There’s nothing worse than being told by a salesperson that the air conditioner they’re selling you is the best on the market and then spending $500 only to find out that it doesn’t work as well as it was described to you. Online shopping forums can be much safer than the recommendation of one commission-hungry salesperson.

2. Make lists

Ever been shopping to find a couple of essential items and then become so consumed and distracted by buying other things that you went home without even getting what you left the house for? There are multiple shopping list apps where you can easily create lists, tick items off, or even use a pre-made list. The shopping app, Antarmy, an app for IOS and Android devices, which lets you build a shopping list. After building your list with your needs, you’ll receive offers from all over the world. From there, you can pick the items you want and have them delivered to your door.

3. Don’t impulse buy

Buyer’s remorse is real. In a recent study, almost 30% of people felt buyer’s remorse after impulse shopping. Many of us end up purchasing things that we don’t need because we feel pressured to purchase in the heat of the moment, or there’s an enticing offer, so we feel like we’ll miss out if we don’t buy straight away. Countless shoppers fall into the scarcity trap, particularly with “limited edition” products one “one-off” sales. Resist the urge. If it’s a common product and you don’t need it immediately, it will usually go on sale again in future if you still want it. That or you can easily find something similar.

4. Only carry a limited amount of cash

Don’t bring your cards to the shops with you, and only bring what you absolutely need so you won’t be tempted to use more cash than you need.

5. Create a budget

And stick to it! Don’t compromise on your budget, otherwise, you’ll fall into the trap of making allowances every time. Leave some leeway in your everyday expense budget, otherwise, you may end up overspending anyway, leaving yourself high and dry when you need to get the weekly groceries or other basic items.

6. Know when to wait

Certain products like new consumer goods are almost always better to hold on, until the price is right. If you can wait a few months or even a year or so when buying brand new items, you can save staggering amounts of money. Or, buy second hand. There are so many cheap online shopping sites, marketplaces and shopping apps to use.

7. Not buying the top of the range model

Assess your needs and determine the model you really want. Sure, you could get the laptop with a huge amount of storage space, but do you really need it? You could instead upgrade your Google cloud storage and save $500 or more on a less expensive laptop model. A recent study showed that families who had purchased HDTVs had not actually even set up their TVs to use high definition because they did not know how. So, they were actually watching normal TV even though they had paid for that feature.

8. Selling at the right time

Many of us wait until our items are completely obsolete before selling. By selling just before this happens, we can offset the cost of purchasing new goods. Online marketplaces like Antarmy provide a way to sell goods you no longer need to willing buyers. Keep an eye on the price of second-hand products you’re looking to sell, and don’t wait too late, or it won’t be worth your while taking the time to sell your items.

9. Buy in bulk

If you love an item, why look for anything else? By purchasing the items that we know and love, there’s no risk involved and you’ll save valuable time. Stock up on non-perishable food, office supplies and other consumer goods when they’re on special, (even if you end up buying 20 of the same item). Not everything can and should be bought in bulk, though, and before you buy, ensure that you have enough storage space for all your bulk-bought goods.

10. Think long-term

Don’t skimp on quality for a short-term solution. You’ll end up with 3 second-rate versions of the more expensive item when really, you could have bought the right item the first time. Or, buy a high-quality item second hand. That way, you’ll get the same quality at a reduced rate. Lower quality goods won’t last as long; they may break, not work as well, or will wear and tear easily.