How to save money when buying equipment online

1. Know what you are looking for

Whatever you are looking for, the choice is always great. Therefore, before you start researching prices, you need to understand what exactly you need. The best way to do this is to make a list that includes the parameters that are important to you. It may include some basic characteristics of the product, its functions and properties.

For example, you are looking for a robotic vacuum cleaner with the function of wet cleaning and washing large areas. After you find out your requirements for the product, you can choose several suitable options. To do this, almost any site has the ability to sort. But when you know exactly the models you are interested in, you can proceed to search for the most profitable offers.

2. Compare prices

The first thing to do is to enter a query into a search engine, for example "GoPro Hero 5 buy Moscow". You will immediately find a lot of options and you can see not only the stores where the product is available, but also the prices. You can choose the lowest one on marketplaces, since offers from various sellers are collected there and prices tend to fluctuate. This is the easiest and fastest way to save money. But he is far from the only one.

3. Look for great deals

One of the alternative savings options is to purchase refurbished devices. As a rule, these are devices returned to the store for no technical reason. First, they are sent to the factory for retesting, and then they are put on the shelves at a discount. These devices work fine, and you only need to check the warranty conditions in case something does go wrong.

Show samples are also a very profitable option. The reason for their markdown is being on the counter. Such a product may have been turned on several times, its box has been opened, but otherwise it most often fully meets the standards. In this case, the price can be reduced by 10-15%.

4. Watch for promotions and sales

The easiest way to stay up to date on sales is by subscribing to the stores' newsletter. The only downside is that you will receive a lot of letters, but among them at some point an item or promo code that interests you may appear. If you have the time and are willing to wait, then you can save a decent amount - usually from 5% to 50%.

By the way, promotional codes are often timed to coincide with the holidays and allow you to pay 5-10% less. And if you already know when the discount season begins in stores, then just mark this time on the calendar and start monitoring interesting products during this period. The biggest sales are on public holidays and Black Friday. In Russia, promotions on this occasion usually last about a week and the largest discounts appear closer to their end.

The birthdays of the stores, as a rule, are also accompanied by special offers, so that at this time you can pick up the goods at a very favorable price.

5. Do not chase new products

If you are tied to a specific brand and are exactly sure which model you are looking for, but do not rush to buy, then it is quite reasonable to wait for a newer version to be released.

Similarly, you can pay attention to last year's model. This is what many fans of A-brands like Apple or Samsung do. New iPhones are buying a lot less than slightly outdated iPhones, since there is not much difference in the overall performance of smartphones. This was the case with the iPhone XS, which further popularized the iPhone X.

6. Pay attention to analogues

But if you are ready to consider analogs, then the task becomes much more difficult, but the likelihood of saving much more. Everyone knows that brands charge a markup for a name. For example, a Canon lens is almost the same as a Sigma lens, but it always costs more.

Almost any smartphone, laptop or tablet has an analog - most often from a Chinese manufacturer. At the same time, companies from China have long abandoned the concept of making copies and switched to creating unique and modern devices. A prime example of this is the Huawei P20 smartphone, which costs less than the iPhone XS or Galaxy S9, but offers the same power. That is why it is better to know exactly the functionality you are interested in and choose a proven technique, but from the B-brand. Slightly less well-known, slightly less promoted, but not inferior in quality.

7. Explore Private Label

Stores' own brands are another lucrative alternative. Almost all retailers of technology and electronics are engaged in the production of goods under their own brand. Sometimes these are accessories, and sometimes devices themselves. The prices for them are significantly lower than for the products of many well-known brands, but the retail network itself is responsible for the quality and guarantee.

For example, you're looking for a 4K action camera and you're looking at a GoPro or Sony. An analogue can be a Prolike camera with the same capabilities, but at a price 3-4 times lower.

Such products are also notable for the fact that discounts on them are not tied to any supplier promotions, because the manufacturer, in this case, the store, sets the price on its own.

8. Save on shipping

Many companies offer a delivery service, which adds 100-300 rubles to the total cost, depending on the distance from the store or warehouse to your home. If the seller provides for the possibility of self-pickup or free delivery to the point of issue, do not be lazy to use it. Most often, points are located in different parts of the city and you can find the most convenient option for you - sometimes even within walking distance. Let it save a small amount, but in the general check it will be quite noticeable.

9. Reasonable approach to ordering abroad

It also happens that an interesting product in Russia is officially impossible to find. Many fans of specific technology, for example e-books from Amazon, face this. In this case, the scope of search has to expand and deal with private suppliers or foreign stores.

The main problem with these purchases is the price. The product itself is often cheaper, but the cost of delivery can reach $ 40-50. Ultimately, it turns out to be unprofitable. In order to save money on such purchases, you can use special delivery services: for example, the goods arrive at a warehouse in the USA, and from there they are sent to you. The only thing that can be alarming in the work of such services is that payment is always made in advance, but the probability of receiving an order is not one hundred percent.

In a word, in such cases it is better to find the closest analogue, which is officially sold in Russia.

When trying to save money, you need to be careful, it is not for nothing that there is a saying "The miser pays twice." Therefore, you should always read reviews and only buy from trusted retailers. It is not recommended to purchase complex equipment from hands, since it is far from always possible to check its quality and authenticity. It is better to buy used devices in thrift stores, where they carry out the necessary testing.