The time has come… and the Christmas festivities are officially over. But for many avid shoppers and deal lovers, this means one thing: January sales!
Here at Hey Discount, there’s nothing we love more than a good deal! However, similarly to Black Friday, it’s important to really do your research before you give in to the hype and shop til’ you drop this January.
We make it our mission to regularly monitor the online prices of products throughout the year - so that we can be absolutely sure we’re sharing only the best and most reliable discount codes and deals with our customers.
However, we do often find that some retailers exploit these annual sales by offering phoney deals and rollbacks, that, aren’t really rollbacks. So if you’re looking to bag yourself some real bargains this January, then take a quick look at some of our top tips on how to shop wisely and safely online.
Research Competitor’s Prices
This may be the most obvious and also most important way to find a good deal from a phoney one!
When the team here at Hey Discount monitor prices online, we often find that a handful of retailers will offer a product at a similar price - but one will claim that their price is a special offer or a rollback.
So rather than impulse buying something just because it’s marketed as a bargain, it’s essential to make sure you do your research first! And don’t forget to check out designer outlets such as The Outnet when comparing prices.
A great tool to do this is Google Shopping. Simply search your product, and then Google Shopping will bring up all of the best deals from anywhere online.
Monitor Your Fave Products in Advance
This won’t be possible for shopping straight away of course - but for future reference, another great way to know if a deal is genuine or not is to monitor the price of it in advance.
As we’ve mentioned already, this is something we frequently do and often find that prices aren’t actually at their lowest during annual sales such as Black Friday or January sales. Retailers also like to use old RRP’s as their ‘was’ prices to try and hook buyers in, when in fact that wasn’t their true previous price.
Most websites and designer stores such as Flannels now have great ‘wishlist’ functions so that you can add all of your favourite products to one place and monitor them regularly. If you’re shopping on Amazon, then you can also use camelcamelcamel as a way to track the price history of products.
Is the Price Too Good to Be True?
It’s true what they say. If something seems like it’s too good to be true, then it probably is!
Once you think you’ve found a bargain compared to other online retailers and previous prices - then it’s time to decide whether it’s actually a good deal, or whether it’s perhaps a counterfeit site. For designer goods that are certified as authentic, we love Brand Alley so make sure you check there before you make that purchase.
Comparison websites such as Price Runner or Compare the Market provide reliable insight into how much you should expect to pay for an item which could be your first indication of a fake deal.
Look Out for Fake Reviews
A good way to decide if a website is untrustworthy is to know how to tell a fake review from a genuine one. A few things to look out for could be:
- Numerous reviews all at once
- Overly friendly
- Overly humorous
- Overly complimentary
Scamming websites can easily manipulate their rating to show as 5* overall. However, if a lot of these are fake then a good way to find honest reviews is to filter to just 1, 2, 3 or 4 stars and have a good read through some of those.
Another obvious sign that a website is untrustworthy is if they don’t display any contact details such as a physical address, telephone number or email address. Well known designer stores such as Farfetch can be contacted easily and have safe and secure websites.
Be Wary of Scams
Unfortunately, during this time of year and other annual sales especially is when scammers are most active.
Be wary of any emails or text messages that encourage you to click on a link or send any sort of personal information. At this time of year, fraudsters will often pretend to be other businesses such as a delivery company, for example. Genuine designer stores such as Selfridges will always share any promotions or deals on their website. If you get a text or email and aren’t sure if it is legitimate, don’t click the links – get on your laptop and visit the website yourself.
You should also be wary of any social media adverts that don’t seem quite right, or like they’re too good to be true. Look out for a lack of content on their page, foreign seller locations, or even strange business names.
Shop With a Credit Card for Added Protection
There’s no better way to pay for purchases online than by using a credit card with their added purchase protection promises.
Exact eligibility varies depending on where you are and which bank you’re with. However, American Express and some Mastercard and VISA accounts will offer purchase protection - so just check with your bank beforehand.
And that’s a wrap…Happy January sales shopping, guys!
For any more money-saving tips or gift guides, you can check out all of our other articles on our website.
