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Have you ever been excited about a great deal you find shopping online, only to find that the shipping cost was just too outrageous to make the order worth it? Having to give up on a good deal because of high shipping is so frustrating!
There are ways to keep these shipping costs down, though. If you know what to look for, you can score some great deals and sidestep the highest shipping costs all at the same time!
Many online retailers offer free shipping on orders over a certain dollar amount. If you want to take advantage of this but you don’t have a big enough order to meet the threshold, you’re not totally out of luck. Ask around!
Some of your friends might be willing to throw some items of their own into the order to help you offset those shipping costs. Sure, you’ll need to distribute the goodies to your pals when they arrive, but that’s a small price to pay for free shipping!
Just make sure you agree up-front with everyone about where the items will be shipped and how much everyone will be sending you to cover their portion of the order.
Just because you’re shopping online, that doesn’t mean you need to have the order shipped to your home. With many vendors, you can pay for your items online but then pick them up from a physical location. In the case of many stores, you can order an online-only item and have it delivered to a franchise location.
This typically reduces or outright eliminates shipping costs, as it moves your items into the same shipping pool as the rest of the store’s normal weekly order. This allows you to basically piggyback on a larger order, making things much more affordable for yourself!
Sometimes you just can’t get around high shipping costs. In these scenarios, don’t fret: wait for a big deal to come through. Often, sellers will discount items for short windows of time during big sales events. This is your opportunity to scoop the item up for cheap, allowing you to essentially eat the shipping cost without feeling like you’re getting a bad deal.
Other options vary by vendor. On Amazon, for instance, you can avoid most shipping costs for Prime items by just becoming an Amazon Prime member. Other similar services are available at retailers around the net, so just keep your eyes peeled for these great money-saving tricks!
