Savvy online shoppers know all the tricks

I'm well acquainted with these tools because it's my job to entice shoppers.

Folks. We’re in the middle of e-commerce’s golden age, if you hadn’t noticed.

Transacting is quicker than ever and shopping happens across apps, websites, and within games. The pairing of internet + mobile browsing has ushered in an impressive period of choice—of where to shop, what to buy, and how to get the best price. It can be overwhelming at times, but as technology has given us options, it’s also made it easier to sift through all of them and adopt a strategy.

Whereas in-store “brick and mortar” shopping is comparably straightforward, online shopping is more like a game. This gamification of online consumption is powered by mountains of data and psychological tactics that sellers use to predict, entice, and nudge consumers to “convert” (place an order). Trust me, I’m one of them. 

Emerging from e-commerce’s biggest week of the year (Black Friday and Cyber Monday—yes this post is very late), I thought I would share some of my tips and tools for savvy online shopping. That is, gathering complete information, finding the best prices, understanding that not all sites are created equal, and taking advantage of perks.

The “Mohawk Bend” part of Sunset Blvd.

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Start from needs

Rather than browsing mindlessly, consider only browsing when you genuinely need something. All online browsing behavior is tracked and will produce reminder emails, targeted ads, and push notifications, most of which aren’t helpful unless it’s actually something you need. The casual browser is an e-commerce marketer’s low-hanging fruit upon which to feign urgency and scarcity.

Delete useless apps

Most native shopping apps (like for a particular brand or store) are designed to be fun and easy to browse, but offer no additional benefit except for the users who are highly engaged and loyal. If you’re not regularly using an app, consider deleting it or at least toggling all notifications OFF. Of course, some stores offer app-only perks or first-purchase discounts through their app, which can be used to your advantage.

Track your favorites

Rather than browsing once a sale comes around, when all the discounts and choices will feel overwhelming, look ahead of time and save items to your favorites—either within a particular site, which typically requires creating an account, or using third-party apps like Shopstyle and Lyst. The benefit of using a third-party favorites tracker is that you can compare pricing for an item across multiple sites with ease. Like grocery shopping, it’s best to have a list once you’re ready to spend.

Ignore free shipping minimums

Sorry to say, but we should all get used to the idea of paying for shipping (again). When e-commerce was first viable, additional shipping charges felt unfair. But to shop in-store, you were doing the work and absorbing the costs of last-mile transportation. Now free shipping is the norm and that cherry on top that shoppers love (thanks, Amazon), but it’s actually an environmental disaster. Free shipping minimums encourage us to buy more even when we have no real need, and they create extra returns that damage the ecosystem. It’s better to try to find the best base price, and then be prepared to pay for shipping.

Register with Rakuten

If your data’s going to be tracked anyway (and it is), why not make some cash off of it? Rakuten is a cash-back rebate site that works with hundreds of online stores—all you have to do is register and add the plugin to your browser. As part of the appeal to drive sales, sites that work with Rakuten will vary their cash-back rate daily, from 1% to as much as 20%. Each quarter, Rakuten cuts accumulated cash-back checks to its registered users. The last one I got was for $117.

Pay attention to shipping and return terms

The gold standard is free shipping and free returns, but few sites offer it anymore. Most sites now include free shipping minimums, returned-order fees, or some combination of terms and conditions that help preserve their profit margin. This may include specific nuances about returns, like having to print a return label and take a return to the post office or UPS vs. providing a pre-printed label and having it collected from your home, which ultimately costs the retailer money and margin. Know these Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) before you click “buy.”

Price adjustments

Also in the T&Cs of many sites is a price adjustment or price match guarantee. This can occasionally come in handy to realize additional savings, but requires a watchful eye on competitor pricing and/or price drops after you’ve ordered something.

Shop from abroad

The e-commerce community is largely a flattened global marketplace whose only boundaries are the import-export rules unique to each country. In the U.S., individuals can import up to $800 in apparel and goods per day without incurring any additional import duties. You still have to pay sales tax (and if you aren’t charged it, the IRS may charge you later on). For certain purchases, this can work to the shopper’s advantage. My company (italist) sells luxury fashion at the Italian retail price, which is the lowest in the world for most European brands and can equate to a savings of up to 50% before discounts. 

Nothing is a cannot-miss

One thing I’ve learned about the constant churn of newness and novelty in consumerism: There will always be things to love later on. Nothing currently in your cart is worth over-spending on. As I said at the beginning, let necessity drive purchases, not persuasive marketing about savings you must claim.

Given all of the factors associated with online shopping (availability, sizing, price, discounts, rebates, shipping and returns), it’s no wonder that decision anxiety is a key lever that e-commerce marketers use to provoke shoppers into converting. 

However, armed with some good tips and tools, there’s no need to let the ubiquity of online shopping separate us from our money prematurely or create unnecessary environmental catastrophe.

Thoughtful, considerate, pragmatic consumption is the only way to be a conscientious, savvy online consumer.

Samuel