BEST BOUGHT ONLINE
Save time and money
Depending on what you’re buying and where you’re shopping, it often makes more sense to purchase a product online rather than in store.
According to personal finance expert Jessica Moorhouse, there are often added incentives for buying products online. Many shoppers get travel rewards from shopping on certain sites, and companies like Ebates even offer cashback rewards when you shop at select stores.
“Usually stores offer better prices online since they have a lot of products they want to get out of their inventory,” says Moorhouse, adding that it’s important to do your research before an in-store purchase to make sure you’re not paying too much.
Here are products you should consider buying online:
Gift cards: Once you discover that you can buy gift cards at great discounts online, buying them full price at a store will seem like an archaic idea. Gift Card Granny, for example, offers users up to 50 per cent off gift cards for select restaurants, stores and services. Card Swap, another online gift card retailer, allows users to collect points, which they can redeem toward purchasing more cards or cash out through PayPal.
Books: It’s well known that books are usually substantially cheaper online. This has a lot to do with the higher cost of running brickand-mortar stores, which tend to drive up prices.
Technology: Whether it’s a new computer, phone or television, you can often find better discounts and promotions online. Just make sure you’re buying the item from a trustworthy supplier.
Furniture and decor: While buying furniture online once seemed like a very risky proposition, it has become more accessible with stores such as Wayfair and Costco offering affordable delivery and returns.
Makeup and toiletries: We all have our favourite makeup and toiletry products that we replenish time and time again. Start replenishing your stash with cheaper subscription plans or by ordering your goto products online while taking advantage of web-exclusive sales and promotions.
Contact lenses and glasses: It may seem like the convenient choice to buy your glasses and contacts directly from your eye doctor, but they’re almost always overpriced. Moorhouse says she only buys her reading glasses online from Clearly, an affordable eyewear and contact brand.
Office supplies: If you need some basic office supplies, save your time and money by buying them from sites like Amazon or Walmart. Bothwebsiteshaveahugeselection of products and offer free or inexpensiveshippingdependingonhow much you purchase. Non-perishable food items: While ordering fresh produce through grocery delivery services can feel like a risk, you can’t really go wrong with buying non-perishables at the same or lower price, often with free delivery. When you’re saving time and money, it’s worth stocking up on basics like cereal, coffee and canned goods from places like Well.ca.