Boy, do I have a treat for you all today! My friend, Nikki, from Dollar Store Diva has been so gracious to write a guest post for your enjoyment today. She's talking about one of my favorite things: shopping! If you like this article, please feel free to share it with your friends.
Hello Life & Leopard readers! My name's Nikki Vergakes from
dsdstyle.blogspot.com. Over there I write about fitness, health, DIY, being a crazy college kid, and finding the best deals out there! I'm a 19-year old PR student from Massachusetts. My first order of business is to thank Sara for letting me guest post, my second order of business is to teach you how to utilize comparative shopping!
When I was younger and for lack of a better work, not "well-shopped", I would buy things without thinking about how well they would go with pieces in my closet, without trying it on, and without thinking about other options. That left me with too many crop tops, not enough high waisted things to go along with them, too many patterns that don't mix, and not enough basics! I was NOT a smart shopper. However once I got a job and started buying things with money I earned, that's when I started shopping smarter.
However I'm not alone. Not many consumers aren't using this, but that doesn't mean they're not smart. They're just not shopping to their full potential.
Comparative shopping isn't a new idea. It's pretty much finding the best price for what you're buying. For me, it also contains pros and cons. Whichever will fill most of your pros and be the best for your wallet will win. However, when it comes to shopping online and in-store, the pros and cons are different for each scenario.
Questions to ask yourself when shopping online:
- Lowest shipping cost
- Is it true to size?
- Is the return policy easy to follow and use?
- Is this the best price?
- Are there any deals and coupons I can use at checkout?
-- ** wanelo, shopbuddy, marketing emails, google
Favorite tools to use when shopping online: Wanelo, ShopBuddy, Marketing E-Mails from stores, Google.
Wanelo and Google are engines that use comparative shopping. Those marketing e-mails you get daily may be a bother, but they do tell you the latest deals and perhaps special member-only deals. Shopbuddy is an app that will automatically tell you the deals on a website the second you load it.
Questions to ask yourself when shopping in-store:
- Is this a staple piece, or a statement piece?
- Do I have anything else too similar in my closet?
- Imagine at least three outfits/occasions you would wear it at
- Do I have a rewards card here?
- Do I get a percent off or signing up for a rewards card?
- Are they having any promotions?
- Will another store in this mall have the same thing cheaper?
You can use the app versions of all of those sites while shopping in-store. Remember your e-mailed and mailed coupons. You also may want to screenshot those coupons in case you can't find service. Also, don't be afraid to leave a store and see what else is out there. You never know what you'll find.
I wish you all smart shopping!
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