How to save money when shopping online

The holiday season is here! Retailers are competing at who-will-earn-more and we, consumers, are trying to find the best deals on presents for our loved ones. That is not about to change, but what does change from year to year are the holiday online shopping trends. Different items become popular, and so do new payment methods and markets. The benefits of online shopping are numerous, now let's see which trends are present.

1. New markets are emerging worldwide due to the increase in online shopping options

Let's take a look at Halloween and Thanksgiving. These holidays used to be reserved for Americans only. The trick-or-treat day became extremely popular all over the world some years ago due to the way it is celebrated. Kids like to dress up for Halloween, and so do grown-ups. Why not do it on that particular day?

Halloween and Thanksgiving are becoming more and more popular all over the world.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, things are a little bit different. The role of retailers here is a bit more significant. With the increase in popularity of online shopping, the sellers gain so many more opportunities to earn. Black Friday is becoming more popular every year due to many people shopping from home on that day. It's a win-win situation for sellers and buyers. The former get to multiply their sales on that particular day, while the latter enjoy buying goods at discount prices.

2. Everybody falls for free stuff

Free shipping is something many sellers promote to attract as many buyers as possible. It is the weapon they use when fighting for our attention. Also, shipping worldwide is becoming more accessible every year. Hence - the increase in the popularity of a holiday that might have nothing to do with one's tradition and history.

Twenty or thirty years ago, it was unimaginable that people from China or Europe would be the ones to celebrate Black Friday. Now that many shops are present globally, buying in e-shops is definitely one of the holiday online shopping trends.

3. Buyers are more flexible than before

Until recently, people started their holiday shopping on Black Friday and it lasted through Christmas. Dates are a little bit more flexible now that online shopping is starting to take over the market. There is one more reason for such a trend. Online shops started giving discounts earlier this year, so the buyers reacted.

One of the holiday online shopping trends is ordering your presents earlier than before.

4. More practical stuff is being bought

It is useful to have two separate shopping lists ready for the discount and sales season. The first one should include presents for your loved ones, while the second one should focus on practical products that you need for your household. Why not use this opportunity and buy the Superlight Portable Rechargeable Fluorescent Lamp that every household needs? Not only is the price lower than ever, but you can also get free shipping during a certain period of time.

5. Buying more to save more is also one of the holiday online shopping trends

It is not news that many sellers will give you a discount on a second product and that is how they convince you to buy more than you originally wanted. Marketers know that people easily accept such offers and that's why they pull that card whenever the holidays arrive.

Why not use that to your advantage? Maybe you do not need to use two identical products at the same time, but you will need another one later. Or you can give it as a present to somebody else. For instance, why buy one CarryMore Reusable Shopping Bag when you can have two at a special price? Or you can have them in assorted colors for various kinds of shopping - one for your groceries, one for chemicals, one for cosmetics, etc.

6. Researching the product before buying it online is very popular

More than ever before, people like to research the product they are interested in buying online. Almost half the buyers like to find out more about the product they are about to buy. Good sellers are well aware of the fact, and that is why they have descriptions and even blog posts about their products.

Buyers want to know what they are spending their money on. For example, if they need a company for transporting small antique pieces, they will not just book the first company that they see online. They will make a list of companies offering the same service and then research which one is the best for them.

7. More and more people tend to use their smartphones to make their holiday online shopping

This is something that e-commerce sellers have to be aware of. If they want to increase their profit, they have to make sure that their websites are mobile-friendly. People do their online holiday shopping in between other activities. Prudent sellers won't let themselves lose such a significant number of potential buyers only because their website or online shop page is not optimized for smartphones.

Many people use their smartphones to do their shopping.

Any time is a good time for holiday online shopping:

• while you are commuting,
• when waiting in line to pay your bills,
• during your lunch break,
• while relocating to your new dorm or moving to a new apartment,
• while waiting for a friend in a bar, etc.

8. Email marketing is still affecting holiday online shopping trends

Even though many people tend to delete emails from an online shop advertising their products, email marketing is still huge. The great thing about email marketing campaigns is that those can be easily made and distributed to millions of addresses. Carefully made email marketing campaigns will result in conversions. Research shows that 25% of sales are generated via email.

Now that you know about holiday online shopping trends, you can decide what works best for you.

Good luck and enjoy the holidays!