December 18th 2024.
If you're one of those people who leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute, then you're in luck. Martin Lewis, the personal finance guru, has shared a tip in his latest Money Saving Expert newsletter that can help you save big on your online purchases with minimal effort. He shared 21 hacks that can make shopping online "easier, quicker, and cheaper", and one stood out among the rest as a must-know.
Martin advises shoppers to abandon their shopping baskets before completing the purchase. It may sound counterintuitive, but it actually works. Companies often send out discount codes to entice customers to come back and complete the purchase. While there's no guarantee that this will work every time, many of Martin's followers have reported success with this technique, with more than 80 retailers offering abandoned basket deals. Some of the popular brands include Argos, Currys, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, Just Eat, Asos, Boohoo, Dunelm, H&M, and The Entertainer.
The discounts you can get from abandoned basket deals vary from free delivery and loyalty scheme promotions to discounts of up to 50% or even between £10 and £150 off. It's definitely worth a try, and here's how you can do it. First, make sure you have an account with the retailer you're shopping from. This is important as they need a way to track your browsing history. Next, add the items you want to your cart, but don't check out just yet. Instead, leave the website and wait for an email within 48 hours with the subject line "Forgotten something?" offering you a better deal to complete your purchase.
However, it's worth noting that this is not a guaranteed method, and you should also be aware of delivery dates if you need your items before Christmas. Some retailers have already passed their cut-off for free or standard shipping, and the last day for next-day delivery is approaching fast. But if you're feeling lucky, go ahead and try your luck. Many MSE readers have reported success with this technique, and here are some of the companies that have offered abandoned basket deals: Asos, Baker Ross, Balsam Hill, Beauty Bay, Bloom & Wild, Boohoo, Book Depository, Boohooman, Boux Avenue, BrandAlley, Buyagift, Currys, Glasses Direct, Graham & Green, Dunelm, Euro Car Parts, Graze, Hamleys, H&M, Harvey Nichols, Homebase, Hush, Joseph Joseph, Just Eat, Lenovo, Lookfantastic, Monsoon, Moonpig, Mountain Warehouse, New Look, Ninja, Not on the High Street, Office, Patisserie Valerie, Peacocks, Pretty Little Thing, Radley, Reebok, River Island, Shein, Sports Direct, The Entertainer, The Perfume Shop, The White Company, Thorntons, Threadbare, Ugg, Urban Outfitters, Victoria's Secret, Warehouse, Wayfair, WHSmith, Yankee Candle, and Zalando.
Some retailers offer discounts ranging from £10 to £150, including Argos, Asda, Boden, Cotton Traders, Deliveroo, Ebookers, Evans, Lloyds Pharmacy, Morrisons, Ocado, Princess Cruises, Sainsbury's, Shark, Tesco Groceries, Very, Virgin Media, Virgin Wines, and Waitrose. And some even offer free delivery, such as Dorothy Perkins, Emma Bridgewater, Furniture Village, JD Sports, and Next. Also, if you're a member of loyalty schemes with M&S or Boots, you may also receive special offers.
As a bonus tip, MSE also mentions that users have reported getting discounts from Adidas by "favouriting" products, and that eBay, Vinted, and Etsy sellers often offer discounts to buyers who have added specific items to their watchlist. So it's worth keeping an eye out for those as well.
Do you have a story about successfully getting a discount through abandoned basket deals? We'd love to hear about it! Email us at [email address].
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
