7 Online Shopping Hacks To Save Money Every Singaporean Shopaholic Swears By

In life and in shopping, good things do sometimes come to those who wait — and take a little risk.

The next time you see something you absolutely “must have”, add it to your wish list. Let it sit there for a bit, and see if you miss it a week later, or if it’s already forgotten the next day.

Chances are, you’ll get an email notification from the e-tailer to (1) tell you the item is low on stock, so hurry!; (2) drop you a friendly reminder: “Did you forget something?”; or in the best case scenario, (3) informs you that the item is now on sale!

According to some insider intel, if you leave some stuff in your cart and close the window without checking out, you could even be offered a promo code. Win!

The customer service team is there to help, so use it. Ask if there are any on-going sales or promo codes that you might otherwise not be aware of.

Never hurts to ask (they can’t see you, right?), but it will when you discover later that you’d missed out on a 20 per cent deal on those boots.

According to a retailer reporting service, SumAll, which is supported by data collected from more than 3,000 merchants and about half a billion transactions over four years, the best days to shop are Tuesdays and Thursdays — these are reportedly the days with the best chances of snagging a good deal.

November is the time of year that you’re likely to glean the biggest discounts online (start saving!).

Oh, and you can hit the snooze button on shopping on Sundays and in March.

While delivery is free on sites like ASOS and Shopbop, many still require a minimum spend before the shipping cost is waived.

One of the oldest trick in the shopaholic book is to organise a “shop pool” — you know, like car-pooling — with your friends. That way, you accumulate your purchases into one order — no pressure to spend more than you want to just to qualify for complimentary shipping.

The idea of saving or earning money as you spend is such a delicious thought, isn’t it? And it’s no BS.

Think about it: All you have to do is make all payments using the right credit card for online shopping. That way, you can earn cashback, which is like having a discount on your purchases. (Cashback is usually credited to your account during the next payment cycle, so don’t be surprised if your bill ends up lower than you expected!)

Have your eye on a big-ticket item? Some credit cards even offer interest-free instalment plans for online buys.

If you haven’t heard of Shopback, drop everything and head over right now.

It’s a rewards site that lets you earn cashback when you shop at any of their partner brands. Once you’ve accumulated S$10 or more in cashback, they redeem it to you in cold hard cash!

To name a few, there’s ASOS (5%), Zalora (up to 12%), Free People (3%) and Mango (up to 12%).

Of course, terms and conditions apply, so read the fine print before clicking the checkout button.

Finally, if you want to be up to speed with all the latest deals or be among the first to get to a sale, the no-brainer would be to follow your favourite brands and e-commerce sites on social media.

Registering to be on their mailing list is another way to stay informed. A spammed inbox is a small price to pay, and there’s a simple solution: set up an email account solely for the purpose of shopping.