

1. If a company has a newsletter, sign up. Often, companies will give sneak peeks, promotions and online coupons to people on their own mailing list. However, be careful. You don't want to sign up for every company's newsletter or you'll soon be buried under endless emails. Only subscribe to a company's newsletter if you really like their products and services and would use a discount code.
2. Try to find coupons before purchasing a product online. Most online stores always have some promotional offers going on. If you do not find any information regarding current offers on the site from the online store, look on other sites. Customers sometimes share their discount codes on message boards or couponning blogs.
3. Learn more about the payment methods offered by the online store you are interested in. Most stores provide you with the option to pay with credit cards or with PayPal. A charge card is a safe option only when the store has a secure server. If you do not see any information regarding safety, it is best to go through another store.
4. If you feel you will be making a lot of online purchases down the road, consider obtaining a separate bank card to use simply for these transactions. It is easier to track all transactions if they are the only items listed with this card's transaction records. Additionally, you don't need to worry regarding your own funds being compromised, even temporarily, if you are a victim of fraud.
5. Always save copies of your orders and receipts from online purchases. Many stores will redirect you to definitely a page after you've submitted an order detailing exactly what was bought, customer information, the prices, etc. You should either print a duplicate of this or save a duplicate to your computer in case any issues arise before the end of the return period. Make sure to save any emails concerning your items' status or correspondence with the company regarding your orders, too.