1. Can you use coupon
codes at that particular store?
Have you ever shopped at an online
retailer and seen an empty field such as 'promo code' or
'promotional codes'? Well, this field can be used to get you
extra discounts on your purchases. For example, I once received
a 25% discount on an online contact lens order using a 'Clearly
Contacts discount code'.
So, any time you are shopping
online and are in the process of going through the checkout,
take a look for the coupon code box. It can come under many
different names, from Swiss Chalet promo codes, Air Canada
discount codes, an Avon Canada coupon code, or an Aldo Shoes
promo code.
2. Search for the
discount codes!
It is recommended that you
search Google Canada for the exact search term and the company
name. For example, 'Staples coupon code'. You can also check out
sites that have listings of promo codes, such as Retailmenot.
You may find a dollar discount, a percentage discount, or
perhaps a coupon code for free shipping.
3. Search more!
Do NOT settle for the first
coupon code that you come across. There could be bigger and
better discount coupons online. A couple of minutes of searching
can save you a lot of cash in the end!
4. Adjust the discount
code!
Companies can be quite
predictable. For example, SEARS10 may give you a 10% discount,
SEARS20 could give you 20% discount! When you find any promo
code and enter it in the box provided, you can try a few other
variations and see if you stumble upon a higher discount amount!
5. Check duration of
discounts!
Occasionally, the promo codes
cease to work before their stated expiry date. They may have
been very popular and the retailer decided to cancel the offer
code early. However, the opposite to this can also be true:
sometimes the coupon codes continue to work well after the
original expiry date. Be sure you see the exact discount amount
shown in your shopping cart or when you go start to through the
checkout. The discount code may not have worked, and you could
be charged full price on your products or services.
6. Useful tips:
- Some discount codes may be
case sensitive (For example, '10OFF' might work well, but
'10off' might not)
- You might only be able to
use a discount coupon once per customer account
- Some of the voucher codes
may only apply to certain types of products (E.g. Hardware)
- Each promo code may have a
limited life span (E.g. expires 31st December)
7. Subscriptions!
Lots of retailers send out free
discount coupons when you subscribe to email newsletters. For
example: every week, Michaels Canada sends out various coupons
by email. You can sign up to a lot of newsletters using a junk
email address, and get interesting coupons through! If you do
decide to subscribe to a lot of newsletters, it is recommend
that you use a disposable email account such as mailinator, or a
new gmail account just for that purpose.
Conclusion
With a little time and effort,
you can save yourself quite a lot of money on your online
shopping. Even if it is only a few bucks per purchase, this
really can add up to be substantial savings over time.
