A great number of fashionistas would rather shop online than visit a physical store, even before the pandemic took place. No need to hop from one store to another and run fingers through the racks just to find the right clothing — you can find what you’re looking for in just a few clicks while wearing pajamas in the bedroom.
Other than the convenience of it, online shopping gives you a better chance of seeing a variety of items, comparing prices, and making better buying decisions. It allows you to save money too…if you know how to play your cards right.
If you love buying clothes online, here are 10 money-saving hacks you can use the next time you shop
1. First things first: Make sure it fits
Because nothing burns your cash worse than buying clothes you can’t use.
One major downside of online shopping for clothes is you can’t try it on before purchasing. So before browsing online retailers, make sure you know your fundamentals: measurement, size, fabric, and fit. Don’t rely on the picture alone. Instead, read the description well, as well as the comments or ratings.
And if you have a favorite brand, take notes on their sizes and fabric quality. This will help you predict the overall quality of the item and minimize returns.
2. Use search filters to your advantage
If you’re buying clothes from a fashion website that stocks a wide variety of brands, like this men’s fashion store in the UK, you can find search filters. The filters help narrow down your search to the brand, size, product type, color, price (high to low/ low to high), and discount availability.
3. Leave them hanging in the cart
One of the perks of online shopping is that no one’s forcing you to make a quick decision of checking out. No prying salesperson following you around — you can add items in your virtual cart and let them sit there for days until you’re ready to place your order.
Use this to your advantage and sleep on your purchases to avoid impulse buying. Another benefit is some sites will give you a coupon if they notice you’ve left something in the cart for a day or two.
4. Buy only the clothing items you need
Don’t fall for the shopping spree hype that happens around holidays (that you’re required to buy something just because there’s a sale). Sure, your favorite online menswear retailer usually has big sales every month but always ask yourself: do you really need to shop? Do you really like this tacky sweater that’s 70% off?
The amount of money you save isn’t determined by the discount you get — instead, it’s measured by the value and usability of the item you just purchased.
5. When in doubt, stick to timeless pieces
Before buying a particular piece of clothing, ask yourself this: can you see yourself wearing this item often? Can you wear this a couple of years from now? Can it be paired seamlessly with other pieces of clothing or footwear you already own? Will you feel genuinely confident about this? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and add it to your wardrobe.
6. Know when to splurge and when to tighten your wallet
The golden rule is to splurge on classics and pay less on trendy items. If you’re buying something that you’ll wear often, it’s just wise to invest in something of high quality. Don’t feel guilty about paying extra for pricey clothes, crafted by brands that pay attention to the quality of their products.
Buying something trendy? What is all the rage one moment may be gone in two months, so always purchase them at a deep discount store.
7. Sign up for newsletters but say no to spam
Sign up for newsletters to get the most bang for your buck. These let you know when your favorite store is having a sale.
However, you probably have experienced getting your inbox spammed by online merchants, and that’s annoying. Chances are that you’re more likely to ignore their deals. You can consolidate your emails by using Unroll. me, which helps you unsubscribe instantly from businesses that clutter your inbox. It may also bundle the remaining deals into a single email that will arrive whenever you want it to.
8. Take your comparison shopping up a notch with tech
Multiple retailers might be selling the same or similar items but they’re priced differently. Your goal is to find the one selling it for the lowest price. One of the perks of online shopping is it lets you compare prices across multiple outlets easily.
You can download a browser add-on, like PriceBlink, which pulls up prices for the same item at other stores. Aside from showing you the store with the cheapest rate, it also lets you know which ones have coupons you can take advantage of.
You can also look into barcode scanning apps. They’re helpful for buying something that isn’t store exclusive. You can scan the price tag before you buy and see if you’ll find it cheaper somewhere else.
9. Use free shipping whenever you can
Who doesn’t like free shipping? Aside from saving you from the shipping cost per se, free shipping coupons also help you avoid impulse buying. Be honest: you’re more likely to add more items to your cart (even if you don’t really need them) just to maximize the shipping fee.
10. Check out vouchers before you check out
See if that price can still get slashed off. Always search for a discount or promo code online You can also download apps like RetailMeNot which makes it easier to find coupons on the go.
Lastly, you can always ask for a deal upfront by using the “chat” feature and communicating with a real live human being. They sometimes have the authority to issue promo codes that may not be widely available.
Happy shopping!
Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is a savvy writer for Northern Menswear, an online streetwear fashion website for men, delivering clothing and footwear products from top UK brands. She loves sharing tips about fashion and lifestyle for trendy gents.
