3 Ways to Get a Discount on Every Online Purchase

1. Chat with customer service

The best way to ask for a discount when shopping online is to open up the chat box on the retailer’s website.

Sometimes a chat box will pop up asking if you need help. Other times you may need to unearth the chat option from the contact page of the site.

Once you get a representative online, explain that you’re shopping on a couple of sites and looking for the best deal. Ask if any discounts are currently available. Or, ask if the company ever does free shipping.

There’s no guarantee of getting a discount this way, but it’s a tried and true method that has worked for me.

2. Give the retailer a call

Maybe you’re on a site that still lives in the Dark Ages and doesn’t offer customer service via chat. In that case, the phone is your best friend.

As with the online chat, ask if discounts are available or if free shipping is offered. The worst they can say is “no.”

3. Check out coupon code sites

RetailMeNot is the first place I look before shopping online. I find it to be the most comprehensive and accurate source of coupon codes on the web. You can also check out ShopAtHome, CouponCabin and FatWallet for savings codes.

If you’re not familiar with coupon codes, they’re usually a phrase or string of numbers and letters that you enter on the checkout page for an instant discount.