Glam Slam: 5 Tips To Find The Best Shopping Deals Online

With two small children, my time hitting the store has been massively slashed… I’m mostly about online shopping these days.

I still love a good bargain, but don’t always know how to score one online.

That’s where Erica Bell and Katie Finnegan come in. They are the founders of Hukkster.com, a free shopping tool that allows shoppers to track the specific products they’re interested in and get notified the moment those products go on sale (Including coupon codes)!

Today, they share their top five tips for online shopping with Glam Slam readers.

Avoid The Crowds — Score Deals Online:
The biggest discount days of the year, Cyber Monday and Black Friday, are not solely reserved for in-store shoppers. Online retailers offer great discounts year round that rival in-store discounts, so no need to fight your way through the sale racks anymore. Also, don’t miss out on non-traditional sale holidays. While many shoppers think the best deals happen alongside traditional holidays, in fact these deals are available all year long. Last April, after Easter, we saw deep discounts that rivaled those we observed during Christmas! The non-traditional holidays like Tax Day and St. Patty’s Day boast serious deals.

Patience Pays Off:
While the steepest discounts still trigger at the end of season, no one needs a wool sweater in July, so if you’re looking to score a 20 – 30% off discount, wait a couple weeks. Can’t live without it? Splurge! Remember, there’s no guarantee the product will go on sale.

Valentine’s Day Deals:
Post-holiday sales during the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day are a great time to save on lingerie. Last year we saw savings up to 55% on designer lingerie. Everyone has lingerie on the mind around Valentine’s Day, so don’t be afraid to pull the trigger when something you love goes on sale – these sexy steals won’t stay in stock forever. Last year shoppers saved up to 71% off on February 14, so treat yourself!

Arm Yourself With Top Apps That Will Save You Time & Money:
Want to save time and money this year? Well there are apps that can help make shopping easier and more affordable. Hukkster allows shoppers to track the specific products they’re interested in and get notified the moment there’s a chance to buy on sale or with a coupon code. Store your wish list in one place and avoid the crowds. Once you’ve scored great deals, check out Return Guru, which allows users to take pictures of their receipts, store and track those receipts by store return policy and get alerts before those receipts expire. You can also try the app Slice to track all of your purchases. It actually scans your email inbox to find and store the e-receipts from the stuff you buy. So you can easily track all of your purchases in one place. This is a great app for parents because it will also alert you of any product recalls, so you’re always in the know.

Uncover New Brands In The Comfort Of Your Own Home:
The hardest part of shopping sometimes is the hunt. It’s so rare to find free time to browse through the stores and explore new products. Well now there are online subscription services, which will bring new products to your doorstep. We love the hand curated beauty products that Birchbox sends for only $10 a month. Can’t wait for that monthly box to arrive? They even have an app where you can browse trending products and editor’s picks. PINCHme is a new subscription box service on the block that is completely free – all you have to do is fill out a simple survey providing your feedback on the products you receive. Members can sample up to four products of their choice on a bi-weekly basis and they will deliver these products to your doorstep for you to try out. And as a member, you even qualify for great prizes each month.

— Ryan Patterson