How to find hidden discount codes and secret sales when you shop online every time
ONLINE shoppers can save a fortune on everything from gadgets to fashion and flights with the right tools at their disposal.
We spend more than £4,200 every year online, but many of us are failing to look for the cheapest deals, according to comparison site choosewisely.co.uk.
Harriet Cooke tells how to find hidden , spot when prices drop and find online outlets offering big brands at a fraction of the normal cost.
Use a price tracker
BEFORE you shell out, be sure you’re getting the best price by putting the product details into shopping.google.com and idealo.co.uk, which then trawl retailers to tell you the cheapest one.
Also check what the item previously sold for.
Camelcamelcamel.com lets you paste in a link to a product from Amazon to see how the price has changed over time.
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To see what price other shops have sold a product for over the past year, see idealo.co.uk.
The site showed an Oral-B Pro 3 toothbrush is now £60 including delivery on Studio.co.uk, but eBay had some with slightly damaged boxes for £31.
But the same brush was just £20 a month ago.
If you don’t need the item urgently, both sites let you set up an alert so you get an email if the price drops again.
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When comparing prices make sure you factor in the delivery costs.
Blogger Emma Jackson, 29, inset, of Leeds, who runs beemoneysavvy.com, says: “I have a price alert set up on Idealo for litre bottles of Southern Comfort for my dad’s Christmas and birthday gifts.
"The cost moves through the year between £18 and £25 but because of the alert I have been able to get several bottles for £16.
"The savings all add up.”
Hunt down codes
ONCE you’ve found the right price, see if you can whittle it down further with a discount code or cashback.
An easy way to find codes is by using a “browser extension tool”, like Pouch or Honey.
These are little buttons that you install in the corner of your browser, whether it be Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox.
When you’re on the checkout page of an online shop, you click this button and it will trawl the internet for discount codes for that site, then apply them before you pay.
They don’t always work, but it costs nothing to try.
You can download the tools at deals.joinpouch.com or similar at joinhoney.com.
Also check for cashback offers at a site like TopCashback or Quidco, as these might give you more money back than the discount code.
Bargain hunting expert Jo Threlfall, 30, from Manchester, used Pouch to find a discount code for Bloom & Wild flowers for Mother’s Day.
She also used a free delivery code from the florist’s newsletter saving her £15.50 on a purchase that should have cost £35.
Pouch currently lists a code for £10 off for new Bloom & Wild customers.
Jo, who runs fashion and lifestyle website ldmv.co.uk, says: “I use Pouch whenever I’m shopping online.
"Normally it will put in the best code for you to get the most money off items, so you don’t need to do the legwork.”
Find an outlet
SEVERAL online outlets that sell big brand products for heavily reduced prices – normally because it’s old stock.
Some stores, including AO, Dyson and Lakeland, use eBay as their outlet.
Others companies such as Amazon, B&Q and Homebase have clearance sections on their own websites.
You can also search for refurbished goods.
This week eBay launched a refurbished mobile phone hub, offering up to 50 per cent off big brand smartphones including Apple and Samsung with one year guarantees.
You could save £360 (55 per cent) on the usual price of an Apple iPhone 12, with a refurbished one for £289.99.
Plus amazon.co.uk/warehouse sells items that shoppers have returned, some of which are as good as new but are sold much cheaper because the packaging has been opened.
Access secret sales
GET the inside track on when shops are launching sales by signing up to latestdeals.co.uk’s daily email.
This week it highlighted ones by , Debenhams and Argos.
Also visit hotukdeals.com, the deal-sharing website which lists offers seen by shoppers.
This week it flagged a Casio G-Shock waterproof watch, for half-price at £49.95 on the Casio site.
Facebook groups are also a goldmine as shoppers share price glitches and huge discounts they have found.
Some of the best are Extreme Couponing & Bargains UK, Reduce Your Supermarket Spend and Supermarket Bargains and More.
Don’t assume that online shops will always promote their biggest discounts on their homepage.
Try typing the word “sale” into the search bar.
Using this trick on River Island’s website this week found a petite midi dress reduced from £23 to £5.
Chase cheap holidays
USE sites like Kayak, Momondo and Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights, as they not only search airlines but also online travel agents, such as Expedia and Ebookers.
Google Flights (google.com/travel/flights) track how prices change in a calendar to help spot when they are cheapest and you can set up alerts for a route to get an email if prices drop.
Deal sites holidaypirates.com or secretflying.com are also handy for spotting price drops, promotions and error fares.
Holiday Pirates, which also covers package deals, this week highlighted a trip to the Tui Blue Los Gigantes hotel in Tenerife for two people in May, down from £1,582 to £991.52 – that’s 37 per cent off.
You’ll need to be flexible about destinations and dates.
Be aware price glitches on flights may not be honoured.
Sites dedicated to points-collecting like godsavethepoints.com and headforpoints.com also sometimes flag cheap flight deals, as does hotukdeals.com’s travel section.
But check a comparison site before booking to ensure it’s the cheapest deal.
Watch for extra costs like baggage and seat reservation charges when comparing prices and check reviews before using an online agent.
Oral-B Pro 3 electric toothbrush
Studio.co.uk: £60 eBay: £31 Saving: £29
Casio G-Shock watch
RRP: £99.90 Hotukdeals.com: £49.95 Saving: £49.95
Bloom & Wild bouquet
£25.60 with Pouch code for £10 off: £15.60 Saving: £10
Apple iPhone 12
New: £649.99 Refurbed, via eBay phone hub: £289.99 Saving: £360
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Tui Blue holiday to Tenerife in May
Standard price: £1,582 Holiday Pirates: £992 Saving: £590
- Deals correct at time of going to press but prices and availability may vary.