4 Secrets to Paying Less for Everything Online

1. Know where to find “flash” sales.

Imagine scooping up designer duds and luxury items at up to 70% off the retail price! It’s possible, but only if you know where, and more importantly—when, to look. Limited time-only sale sites like Gilt Groupe, HauteLook, Rue La La, and Ideeli are changing the way in-the-know shoppers bag unbelievable steals. Gilt Groupe, for example, is a free, members-only sales site that offers hand-selected styles from top designers like Marc Jacobs, Jeffrey Campbell, Alexander Wang, L.A.M.B., and more at insanely discounted prices—but only for about 36 hours at a time. Gilt Groupe, like others, is an invitation-only service, so it pays to have fashionable friends. Once you secure a membership, you’ll get a $25 credit for inviting friends who purchase from the site. Fab!

The latest “pop-up shop” ecommerce venture comes from yours truly. Kaboodle’s new feature, PopPicks, allows YOU to choose what gets offered at an exclusive price. Here’s how it works: Every week, our editors work with retailers like ModCloth, Karmaloop, and 80's Purple to showcase new fashions. Then our community of passionate shoppers (which can include you!) votes on its favorite styles. The items with the most votes at the end of the voting period are offered at deep exclusive discounts. What’s even better is that the items that are on sale aren’t last season’s styles; they are current fashions that go on sale for about four days or until they sell out. Get in on the fun now!

2. Know where to find coupon codes.

RetailMeNot is the online version of coupon clipping! After you’ve found the perfect fall boots or the funniest Halloween costume around, go to their site and see if there’s a coupon associated with the retailer by typing the store name into the search box on RetailMeNot.com. This nifty site will search its database of 65,000 stores for coupon codes and other discount offers. Enter the codes during checkout to reap the benefits of your research! Other places to find discount codes include Coupon Cabin and Grechen’s Codes.



3. Know which sites offer free shipping and free returns.

Purchasing items like shoes online can be tricky because of sizing mysteries. Fear not! Web sites like Zappos and Endless allow you to purchase as many pairs as you like, try them on in your own home, take a walk around your pad, and send back the ones you don’t want without paying a dime for return shipping! The best part is that you’ll never have to hunt down and nag a shoe salesman again!

4. Rent, don’t buy.

If you’ve ever dreamed of wearing the designer gowns you see strutting down Fashion Week catwalks but can’t justify splurging on extravagant price tags, Rent the Runway is the answer to your prayers. It’s a designer dress rental Web site, and it’s your golden ticket to showrooms of 95 tastemakers, including Diane von Furstenberg, Hervé Léger, and Rebecca Taylor. The secret behind this site’s instant success is its tiny rental fee, which allows you to choose your favorite style for any upcoming occasion—or just for fun—and your desired dress (along with a free back-up rental) will arrive at your doorstep for up to 90% off its retail price! Send it back and RTR will pick up the dry cleaning. It’s like Netflix for designer dresses!

[SOURCE]