In the hallowed words of Kramer on Seinfeld: “RRP” is for suckers! Here are eight proven ways to score a “double whammy” discount – whether you’re shopping in-store or online.
Kathy Sheeran is the author of Shopping Confessions and one of Australia’s leading shopping experts, whether it be online or at the register. We asked the self-described “shopping queen” to share her best bargain-hunting strategies with Lifehacker readers. According to Sheeran, it’s possible to capitalises on shopping sales via “double whammy” discounts to get up to 80 per cent off new stock.
If you feel like you aren’t getting the best deal at the cash register, the following tips should lead to a significantly better outcome.
#1 Get retailers to ‘price beat’, not just ‘price match’
“Most consumers don’t realise that retailers will not only price match but price beat by up to 10%. Always ask the question.”
#2 Use a cashback website during sales
“My favourite double whammy of all. Just shop at regular online retailers, except via a cashback website like Cashrewards.com.au. I use it for practically everything including groceries, pet food, clothes, alcohol and gifts. I treat it as a little savings account for Christmas.”
#3 Timing is everything
“Sales are the norm these days. I’m seeing a lot of big discounts on already marked down prices. Weekends are good for this and seasonal trends also play a part – you can always rely on some huge savings in the lead-up to summer.”
#4 Maximise your VIP privileges
“I strongly recommend to sign up for your favourite retailers VIP lists, not only will you be the first to know when there’s a sale but you can get vouchers for your birthday, etc. Keep these and use at sale time for a further saving.”
#5 Get yourself an AmEx card
“Amex offer great deals. Spend $350 at Harvey Norman and get $50 back as a statement credit. I only suggest paying with your Amex if you are going to pay it back within the statement period.”
#6 Use special offers during sales
“A lot of online stores offer you a discount for first time purchase. I recently purchased a pair of shoes from Farfetch, I received 10 per cent for first time purchase and for shopping via Cashrewards I received a 6 per cent cashback.”
#7 Purchase discounted retailer gift cards – and use them at sales
“Keep an eye out for discounted Woolworths gift cards on daily deal sites like Groupon which sometimes offer up to 10 per cent off. You can also get 5 per cent off via Cash Rewards. You can use your Woolworths card to purchase petrol from Caltex together with any coupons you may have which in effect gives you a double whammy discount. You can also use the card at Dan Murphy’s, Big W and of course any retailer within the Woolworths Group.”
#8 Use a coupon during sales
“If shopping online always google the retailers name and the word ‘coupons’ to see if any discount codes are available. You will be surprised. Could be anything from free shipping to a further discount!”
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/12/dealhacker-20-awesome-freebies-you-can-get-on-your-birthday/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/shutterstock_225379087-410×231.jpg” title=”Dealhacker: 21 Awesome Freebies You Can Score On Your Birthday” excerpt=”It’s your birthday and you can take advantage of that if you want to! Free meals, free ice cream, free drinks — and not just the ones bought by friends. You’d be amazed how many cafes and stores and their loyalty programs are willing to give you free things for your birthday, so I’ve rounded up the best birthday freebies for you right here. (If your birthday is still ages away, just bookmark this page for future reference!)”]
This story has been updated since its original publication.
Comments
5 responses to “Eight Ways To Get ‘Double Whammy’ Discounts”
Sure….. last week I tried to buy an item from Wild Earth camping store and they offered a first time purchase discount of 10% for ‘members’, so I joined. The discount excluded “CLEARANCE” items, which is fair enough as they would be already heavily discounted..
However they refused to give me the promised discount because the item was on ‘sale’, not “CLEARANCE”. I had a further look at their website and many items were on sale, most for just a dollar or two, so excluded from the membership discount.
I pointed that out but they didn’t budge. And they lost a customer for life.
That sort of thing frustrates me too. I’ve been bitten similarly by a couple stores. The other thing I hate is when they offer a discount for members but only only certain items. “Become a member for great discounts… but only if you’re a woman, because none of the menswear is actually included in the deal…”
It’s one reason I really like JB Hifi. Not always, but often their discounts stack up. I love being able to buy say 2 movies for $30 then finding the 20% off discount also applies to that so it becomes 2 for $24. They do suck in other ways, like artificially raising the prices just before a sale on some items, so the discounted price is still “ok” but not “great”. But with judicious shopping that’s fine.
#9. Just ask. I’m amazed how often “Can you work on that price at all?” gets a result.
I try to avoid making an offer, or turning the screws too hard, especially in retail locations. If they come back with a reasonable number, I’ll take it. Discounts off the ticketed price tend to come out of the sales rep’s pocket, coz the company has to make its sweet, sweet moolah.
I can assure you it does not come out of the salespersons pocket – unless, maybe, they work for Avon.
A salesperson has an hourly wage. The business cannot dip into that for customer discounts.
I should have been clearer, discounts of the ticketed price have a tendency to come out of the salesperson’s commission, if they are on a commission arrangement.
I’ve worked big box retail for a couple of different appliance stores, and the set up was the same. Hourly wage, plus commission. In one instance, any discount greater than 5% meant I made nothing on the sale.
#5 – Ohhhh my god. You cannot put ‘buying from Harvey Norman’ and ‘Get Discounts’ in the same paragraph. Some of their items have a 1000% mark up!! I bought a chair from there once and their normal price was $899 but they price matched another store who had it for $150. I pity all of the suckers that didn’t do their research and pay $899….