Shop Tactics - Get a Great Deal on Anything

Codes
Ever bought something online and been prompted to key in the discount code? Just what are these secret codes and where can you find them? The discounts work for online sales only and allow you to take typically 10-25% off at the checkout. Deals come and go, so check the fine print for exclusions and validity dates.

Look for codes at www.retailme not.com, a useful Melbourne-based company that lists more than 20,000 international stores in alphabetical order, ranging from Amazon to Victoria’s Secret.

Also, www.FreeCouponCodes.co.nz lists limited-time discounts and deals for New Zealand companies in 21 categories. Browse adventure, books, fashion, holidays, and home and living. We found one code to get 30% off holidays and accommodation with Expedia New Zealand.

Rebates
When you buy at www.tubby .co.nz, it pays you back. Seriously. The site collects commissions from online merchants – from travel to fashion to beauty – and shares part of the commission with you through cashback offers. Also, members can get paid for responding to surveys. The site is just getting started, though, so check out the Australian version, too, at ww.buckscoop.com.au. Recent rebates included 22.5% off Skype products and 5.6% off Fishpond books. To get your rebate, sign on for free with Buck Scoop, then browse the stores. Click on a store’s link and make your purchase. Cashback is credited to your PayPal account (see www.paypal.com). The downside: cashback, yes; instant credit, no ­– it can take up to three months for the money to reach you. If you’re in the market for electronics or travel on international sites, check out www.fatwallet.com.

Coupons
A good resource for free coupons, shopperdocket-style, is www.ezycoupons.co.nz. Select a category – from dining to drycleaning – then find a deal in your area. You don’t need special software to generate the coupons – simply print them off and away you go. We found coupons for 33% off the price of a night at Quest Serviced Apartments in Auckland and a free massage with purchase of a facial or body treatment at Auckland’s Waiwera Infinity Thermal Spa Resort. Also visit www.easykiwi.co.nz and www.finda.co.nz.

Comparisons
If you’re short on time, use shopping bots (search engines that look for deals) to make price comparisons online. For instance, at www.shopbot.co.nz you can compare prices on electronics, computers, accessories and home appliances. The site works by comparing online databases for member stores. It won’t catch every deal, but it provides a good overview. We found a Canon digital camera priced from $566 to $658.

Auctions
Online auctions do go beyond eBay. Kiwis are getting in on the action with sites run by New Zealanders for New Zealanders, such as www.zillion.co.nz, www.ezy auctions.co.nz, www.trademe.co.nz and www.webuy.co.nz. TradeMe is the biggest, with nearly a million items at any one time and almost 50,000 bidders. We found a vintage shell brooch with a starting bid of $4.50.

But if you love eBay, check out www.missing-auctions.com, which finds commonly misspelt items such as PlayStations.

Deals - Pharmaceuticals
Buy them online and save on healthcare bills. Try www.netpharmacy.co.nz, www.cyberchemist.co.nz or www.pharmacydirect.co.nz. Pharmacy Direct promises to beat competitors’ prices. If you find something cheaper elsewhere, notify the company within seven days of your original purchase and you’ll get a discount voucher for the difference plus 10%. Mail your original prescriptions to Pharmacy Direct and it takes care of refills. Postage is usually $4.95. A New Zealand newspaper that shopped for medicines found it cheaper to buy online only when buying in bulk. It bought eight medicines and found that, including postage, the drugs would have cost $455.60 from Pharmacy Direct, $470.55 from Cyber Chemist and $493.25 from traditional pharmacies.