There are easier ways of carrying out a lot of tasks these days and when it comes to shopping, online shopping saves the day. It's so easy to sit in the comfort of your home and order whatever it is you want without moving an inch. It's even more thrilling when you can track your package and you see it's closer to your doorstep. You cut out all inconveniences related to shopping for a product in physical stores and better still, you might get it for the same price online.
Shopping online might be easy and stress-free, but it also has its cons. For one, you could get scammed and never see your package. There's also the risk of a 'what I ordered vs what I got' situation. I've been shopping online since 2017 and I pride myself as an expert online shopper. I have never bought a product online that I hated or couldn't use. Retail therapy is my forte but I never do it blindly.
Here, are some of my tips for shopping online:
Buy what you need
A lot of times people buy stuff online that they end up not using at all. It could be that the items are sold at ridiculously cheap prices or the seller is a pretty good marketer. Whatever the case, always ask yourself if you need an item before purchasing. How well does it serve you? Do you have similar items and do you use them often? If you didn't buy it, would your life go on as usual, or would the 'sold out' tag hunt you for days?
All of these need to be considered. Buying a similar item to what you already have and don't use means you're very much likely not going to use the new item. It might be cheap and not hurt your pocket but what's the point of having a clutter of things you never use?
Buy what you want
Wants are different from needs, that is, you might not need it but you crave it. This might come off as counter-productive to the first tip but what's life if we don't satisfy our cravings sometimes. As long as you're certain you not only want an item but you're also going to use it and not break the bank, then it's fine to indulge yourself sometimes.
Look out for the best deals
When I want to buy anything, I make sure to get the best possible deals, I look out for discount codes, coupons and the cheapest sellers available. Some websites like aliexpress always have one form of sales or the other going on and I make sure to take advantage of that.
Shop with intent
It's easy to mindlessly scroll an online store hoping to see something you like but don't fall into that trap, most often than not, that's when you buy things you regret. Have an idea of what you want and go searching for that instead. For example if you want a dress, have an idea of the type of dress you want, the colour, style and type of fabric. That narrows your search making it easy to settle for a dress you would indeed use.
Always have a spending cap
Shopping online can be really thrilling and addictive and if you're not careful, you could max out your card at a go. Always place a limit on how much you're willing to spend. This makes you conscious when it's time to checkout. Also, if the shipping cost is outrageous, towering above the price of the product itself, it's best to look away and source from other places.
Never ignore the product description
The product description is there for a reason, solely for you to double-check what you're buying. Check for dimensions, size, material, weight and so on. It's all written right there to give you an idea of what the product looks like. Always have a tape measure with you to get the exact measurements of the item. You'll never go wrong with the sizing of your clothes and shoes anymore when you do this.
This also applies to appliances and home equipment. As long as it's got a description, read it to save yourself sorry tears.
Reviews will save you
I rarely buy a product with no reviews or from a seller with a low reputation on a site. If the majority have complaints about a product, I'm definitely not buying. Some sites allow picture and video reviews and those are my favorite things. I make sure to always leave reviews on products I buy too.
That's all for now, hopefully, you have a wonderful online shopping experience with these tips and enjoy your packages.