There are so many reasons why many of us are switching to online shopping sites to buy the latest products. And it’s not just sheer variety of products that’s helped develop this trend, as the competitive marketplace has meant that many suppliers are offering some consumer-friendly promotions from beds on finance, to limited edition voucher codes in a bid to stimulate sales even further.

So here’s a look at the top things that every customer must do before clicking the ‘buy’ button at the online checkout!

Price comparison

Like any real-life shop, it’s always price that is the most significant part of any purchasing decision. And rather than simply rushing to buy a product, it’s now incredibly simple to use a shopbot that’s capable of scouring the internet to find the cheapest possible option for any given product. The great thing about using such technology is that it saves so much time from having to manually check the prices at different sites, and they’re also updated in real time too!

Voucher codes

As well as the price comparison sites, many online retailers are realising the value of releasing a limited amount of voucher codes for their products to stimulate demand amongst consumers. Again, it’s relatively simple to apply a voucher code at any online checkout. And rather than sifting through the thousands of online discount coupon sites, the Google Honey extension can quickly be inserted into your Chrome browser for an automatic discount hunt!

The importance of timing

One interesting thing about eCommerce is the way that many online prices tend to fluctuate more dramatically than in the real world. And it’s not just the likes of Amazon announcing sudden flash sales, as even furniture retailers have got in on the action with Bedstar’s beds on finance option revealing how prospective buyers can snap up a bargain now, and then not have to pay for their luxurious new bed for another twelve months.

Get loyal

Much as a company could reward their customers with some interesting finance options, other retailers are learning to use the power of social media to treat their most loyal fans with some pretty spectacular offers. It’s now become pretty familiar to see fashion and beauty brands announcing sales on Instagram to their followers, and what better way to find out when the latest sale’s coming than to follow your favourite brand on Twitter and Facebook?