We all love the steal. If we find something 50% or better, we probably do a little jig and dance in our mind, get up from our laptop, and grab a celebratory cup of coffee. If I were a betting man, I would wager that our wallets light up a little when we see the digital red “sale” on a shopping website. However, the smart shopper won’t stop there. Many times, there are valid promo codes we can find hidden in the confines of the internet that will add extra percentage off the steal we’re trying to acquire. Here’s what I think we could do to become smarter online sale hunters, and it starts with the “promo code”.
Never Settle for the Obvious
Recently, my wife called me about a “huge” sale Pottery Barn was putting on at its online shop. All we had to do was enter “SPRING” in the promo code box and we’d be good to go to get the office lamp I’ve been seeking for $49 down to $39.20. Settling for the obvious, I’d probably feel like a winner with $9.80 off. But, without settling, I took a few minutes and googled “Pottery Barn Promo Codes” and without much work found that I could get an additional 15% off when I opt in Potterybarn’s promotional emails. Just because I didn’t settle for the obvious code, I was able to get that same lamp for $31.85 instead of $39.20, or the original $49.
The lesson is simple. Take a few minutes and google “your site plus promo code” in a web search next time you need to buy something online. NOTE: Some sites will only let you use one code per transaction, but some will let you enter multiple. Always give everything you find a shot, and never assume the obvious code is the best discount.
Use the Contact Us Button
If an online purchase isn’t pressing and could wait an extra business day, email/tweet/facebook your site’s customer service rep and simply ask for an extra promo code. Most companies are happy to oblige and give you an extra 5 or 10% off including the obvious code. My wife and I did this recently and are now sleeping on a $1,000 mattress for $250. I sent a tweet to the company, and was given a huge discount for “reaching out”.
Editor’s Note: My wife does this all the time. She often gets extra discounts even when she’s already made the purchase. Give it a try next time you order something, and you might just be pleasantly surprised.
Make It a Habit
We discovered the promo code hunt a few years ago when the first iPad came out. We were committed to paying cash, and really wanted it right away. Since we were committed to the cash only option, we were left with two options: we could “wait and save” (which is usually our course of action) or “search and save”. By searching for promo codes, we were able to get the iPad for $50 less. Since then, we’ve hunted every single time we online shop. No matter how small the purchase, we have made it a habit to get the extra few percentages off. It only a takes a few minutes, and the savings make the steal an even bigger one. Don’t leave your home (or laptop) without using that promo code. Every. Single. Time.
What online shopping habit do you use to get extra savings?
{ read the comments below or add one }
Thanks for the tips. But here’s a question: when you used the Contact Us strategy, what do you actually say on the email?_”Hi, I’d like to know if you have additional discounts on this item”?
Just say you made an order but you haven’t typed in the promo code that you have, then give them one. Even if that ones doesn’t work, they may be able to help you out. If you already placed the order, then it’s better to actually give them a call because they might not get back to you in time (it’s kind of hard to give you a discount when the item is, say, already shipped a week ago).
This is a fun and effective way to save money, no questions asked. Really cool savings. Might not seem too much, but it adds up and allows you to free up cash for something else (savings, paying off debt, other purchases etc.)
The savings can actually be quite substantial, since you can routinely get discount codes such as 20% off.
And like you said, everything adds up!