Can you do all your Christmas shopping on the internet and still save money?
One of my friends is having an Ebay Christmas this year. She has found amazing gifts for her family and, after many years of buying into the hamper voucher scheme, she says she likes the freedom to choose an unusual gift not always available in high street chains. I personally have been doing most of my shopping on-line for years. However, I do think that conventional shopping can also save money.
What are the hidden extras in shopping on-line? The main extra cost is postage or delivery charges. So that makes goods more expensive to buy. Not always! Because shops like amazon.co.uk offer free postage on goods over a certain amount. Even green, eco-friendly companies like ethicalsuperstore.com have a bulk purchase discount and free postage on orders over £40.
With petrol prices and the hassle and expense of parking it is no wonder that internet sales for October were up 16% on last year. As I sit with my trusty laptop, drinking coffee in front of the fire, crossing names off my Christmas list I think I’m a clever shopper, but am I?
The down side of shopping on the internet is that you do not get to see your purchases until after they’re in your house and you then have the hassle of returning them if they prove to be unsatisfactory.
If you stick solely to either shopping on the internet or the high street bargain hunting is more difficult. Last year by shopping for gifts at ‘QS’, my friend told me of an offer too good to miss. Buy five items and get the cheapest 3 free. My Christmas shopping was almost completed in one shop. For DVDs and toys I bought on-line saving up to 50% on high street prices.
With the credit crunch looming over our heads, the cold wind of change is driving up the cost of staying in our warm cosy credit bubble. Now is the time to embrace any way we can to save money.
So to answer the question, no you can’t do all your shopping on the internet and still save money. Because there will always be a high street shop with an offer too good to miss.
However, the trick is mixing and matching to save and use the internet to track down the best price you can. November is a great time to start Christmas shopping all the major high street and internet shops are trying to kick start Christmas spending.
If you’ve found a deal too good to miss share it here and you could win a £10 Amazon voucher.
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