15 online shopping hacks that can save you a ton of money this holiday season

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes the busiest time for retailers. Since department stores can often be crowded and the stress of dealing with long lines is usually the last thing you want to deal with, online shopping doubles as a convenient and time-saving option to getting things done. Not to mention, with sites like Amazon and classic brick and mortar stores pouring more into their online components, shopping without leaving the comfort of your couch has become the norm. According to Fortune, shoppers made 51% of their purchases online in 2016 alone, which was a 3% increase from the previous year. Since the number of online shoppers continues to grow annually, knowing how, when, and where to shop to get the best deal can put you at a huge advantage. The trick getting the best online shopping experience is knowing all of the hacks and even more, actually applying them. Search for an online coupon first. Finding a good deal when shopping online is a shoppers dream, right' Well, Lindsay Sakraida, Director of Content Marketing with DealNews told INSIDER it can definitely get better. "Often stores will give you a coupon to use on your first order, she said. "Alternatively, Google 'new user coupon' and the store name to see if there are any floating around. It's an easy way to get 15% off your total."You can also check sites like promocodes.com to find good deals or install the Chrome extension Honey to find promo codes. Shop with a credit card over a debit card.Nick Johns, a Technological & Digital Safety Investigator Technical at Consumer Safety told INSIDER that when shopping onlineespecially during the holiday seasonshoppers should opt to use a credit card over a debit card."There are many differences between the two types of cards, but one of the most profound is in how fraud protection is handled," he said. "The Fair Credit Billing Act limits liability for fraudulent charges on credit cards to $50, with no liability if the card is reported stolen prior to any charges being made. The act also limits fraudulent charge liability on debit cards to $50, but it requires that a report be filed with your financial institution within two days. If you file your report between two and 60 days after the fraudulent charges are made, liability can increase to $500with no upper limit past 60 days."Johns also noted that most credit cards offer the benefit of cash back rewards.Shop on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.If you thought to purchase a flight on certain days was the only hack to buying online, think again. Retail and Personal Finance Expert at TopCashback.com Natasha Rachel Smith told INSIDER that there are certain days you should be visiting retailer sites, too. "The most popular days for retailers to roll out special perks and discounts is Wednesday through Friday," she said. "Take advantage of special deals like free shipping and BOGO sales during those days."See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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