According to new data from Australia Post, more and more Aussies have been opting to shop online in the past year. In fact, one out of every five Australians was said to have ditched in-store shopping altogether.

This is especially true for older adults, who may find convenience in online shopping. Since most of them have a higher risk of contracting the virus, plenty of them choose to shop online instead, leaving behind long checkout lines and packed car parks.

Plus, online shopping lets them compare several products at the same time, buy healthcare items, and look for new hobbies – all in the comfort of their own homes.

While it’s true that online shopping is extremely convenient and accessible for most people, it can also tempt you to overspend.

Just like in-store shopping, online shopping can also take a bit of time and skills to navigate, especially when it comes to looking for bargains and secret savings you can unlock.

That is why we're here to share with you folks some tips on how to easily save big bucks when shopping online!

Fewer Australians are shopping in-store at retailers. Credit: AAP.​

Sign up for codes and newsletters

Retailer websites and online stores usually have a newsletter that they regularly send out to subscribed customers, informing them of their ongoing promos and discounts.

By signing up for their newsletter, you can get the chance to be informed of the store's exclusive previews of their upcoming products and sales.

Not to mention, they can even give their members special discounts!

Coupon sites

Aside from daily newsletters, savvy online shoppers also know how to make the most out of their coupons.

Some websites, like this one, offer special online-only deals, which are hard to miss out on! Or you can also browse the SDC's Deals, Discounts, and Bargains forum for more available deals!

Social media discounts

If you have social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, it also pays to follow some of your favourite retail stores.

Some offer flash sales and special discounts that are posted exclusively on their social media, so make sure to check them out regularly.

Shop around

According to a retail marketing and consumer behaviour expert, something as simple as google-searching your favourite brand and product can help you save big time.

Most items are usually offered by several retailers, so if you ever find a great product online, try typing its details into Google's search bar. Who knows, maybe another store is offering it for a much cheaper price?

Don't forget the shipping costs

Some retailers are generous when it comes to the shipping fee of their products. Some offer free shipping, while others offer flat-rate shipping.

Make sure that you factor in these shipping costs when online shopping, or else you might be surprised at how much you have to pay.

Wish lists and cart abandonment

Savvy online shoppers also make use of the term "cart abandonment strategy" to save on their buys.

Once they have the items they want in their carts, they hit pause on their checkout and just let the products sit there for 24 to 48 hours. Doing this may trigger extra incentives from a retailer, with some resulting in receiving anywhere from a to 20 to 30 per cent discount!

You just need to make sure that the retailer has your email address when you place those items into your wish list or your basket so that they can contact you for the promo (if they offer it).

Do you have more online shopping tricks to share with us, members? Let us know in the comments!

 

[Ricci]

I do somewhere in the order of 98% of my shopping online. I often fill a cart and then abandon it for at least 24hours, on a second look I find that I have changed my mind on a few items so do not always spend big. I even do this with my grocery shopping, that way there are far fewer impulse purchases.