Here are some easy tips that will help you shop smarter online and stretch that dollar.

Escape the dynamic pricing trap: Delete Cookies, Clear Caches & Go Incognito

Fact and Fiction: The Truth About Browser Cookies

Dynamic pricing is a strategy online retailers use to offer different prices to different customers based on demand, market factors and each user’s browsing and spending patterns. This technique has become more sophisticated now that websites can track your internet surfing and gain an intimate knowledge of your online behavior. Retailers use this data to determine your price point, which means when you go to purchase a product, you may see a higher price than someone with different spending habits using a different computer.

The best way to avoid getting charged a higher price is to erase your browser’s cookies and log out of your account. You can also try using your browser’s version of a “private” or “incognito” window, so cookies aren’t saved during your search.

Use Cashback and Rebate websites

Ebates Cashback Made Simple: You Already do it, get paid for it!

A good shopper always looks for the lowest possible price at checkout. Cashback websites allow shoppers to take advantage of affiliate marketing schemes by paying cash rewards to shoppers when they click through them to shop at specific online retailers.  You’ll have to sign up to the cashback site, log on and search for the online retailer you want to buy from Your visit is then tracked. If you buy something, an amount is put into your cashback site account once the transaction is processed. You can then withdraw this once it arrives in your cashback account.

Quidco,TopCashback, Ebates, BeFrugal, Swagbucks.com are good examples of Cashback sites. And below are some reasons why using them makes sense:

• You can buy a surprising number of different products and services through cashback sites, including groceries, entertainment, dating services, online banking, flights,
• Using a cashback service doesn’t prohibit you from applying other discounts, (discount codes you’ve received via e-mail or found online) or cashback credit cards (which typically give you a 1-2% rebate on all purchases). In fact, Rick Broida, who writes CNET’s popular Cheapskate blog has come up with the smart and interesting Triple Dip Savings Equation i.e. cashback service + cashback credit card + coupon code = triple-dip savings. Just when you thought your lowest price at checkout could not get any lower!
• During certain times in the year, some Cashback sites offer In-store, Double and Triple Cashback for your purchases.
• You can earn more cashback by referring others and some sites will even give you a percentage of their purchases.

Shop at Discount sites

Five Best Deal Sites

When you are shopping online for bargains on electronics, accessories, clothing, and other products, finding the best deal is key and when 50% off from the store just won’t do it, it’s time for you to consider shopping at Discount and Bargain Shopping Websites like Amazon, K-Mart , Walmart and eBay.com (eBay even gives you cash back in the form of “eBay bucks”!). While these offer an extensive selection of products from competitive leading Brands at discounted prices, there are plenty of additional sites like Slickdeals, Fatwallet and Dealnews (or Saleduck in Malaysia and other countries) that can save you a bundle as well.

Look for Free Shipping

33 Online Stores with Free Shipping and No Minimum

Studies by Forrester – a leading U.S Market Research & Advisory firm –  have shown that shipping and handling fees are the number one factor driving shopping cart abandonment. While shipping costs are based on the origin and destination, weight and type of logistics service provider that the retailer & shopping website uses, the cost of shipping continues to be a barrier to shopping online.

You can solve this problem in 3 ways. Shop from online stores like Front Row Shop and Nordstrom that offer free shipping with no minimum,  or better yet, from Madewell and Asos that offer free global & international delivery. Secondly, make purchases on days where free shipping is offered because several online stores do this and they do so frequently, usually over weekends and national holidays. If all else fails, at the time of checkout, use the ‘ship to store’ option instead of the ‘ship to home option’.

Search for Coupon Codes, Store’s Cash Back Credit Card & Reward Programs

What Science Says About Discounts, Promotions and Free Offers

Google is a great place to start if you are looking for coupons online, but you can also use cashback sites and  browser plug-in like Coupons at Checkout or Honey. These will automatically find (and insert) viable codes for whatever store you’re shopping at. It’s really that simple.

Don’t forget to use the Coupons, Cash Back Credit Card & Reward Programs that the stores themselves give you. Sometimes, you’ll notice additional discounts being offered to you like 40% extra off already reduced clearance and sales items. Studies also show that 54% of shoppers will purchase products left in their shopping carts, when those products are offered at a lower price by retailers meaning that you need to stay alert for stores offering additional discounts on your intended purchases. After you snag all of those great deals you will probably feel pretty lucky, go ahead, we don’t blame you!

Word of Mouth: Refer a Friend, Write reviews

Ebates Refer-A-Friend: Earn $75 For Only 3 Referrals!

If after using coupons, store rewards and cashback you thought you’d found the best possible lowest price for your purchase and that was that, think again! Your opportunity to save does not end at checkout. Referring a friend (to a product, service, subscription or website) writing reviews, taking surveys and making recommendations also pay these days.

Cashback sites often give a user cashback by referring others. 55% shoppers find reviews important for making purchase decisions. Shopping Sites like Amazon and others provide affiliate links to users and when those users write reviews for particular products they have purchase through Amazon and other potential buyers click on the link and purchase the same product,  the site gives credit to you  by sharing a  percentage of their purchases.

Shop Sales and Clearance items

Why Shoppers Just Can’t Resist Clearance Sales

This is one of the best way to get what you want – a quality product – at the price you’re willing to pay for it. All it requires is a little patience. Eventually all products go on sale or clearance – slashing prices to almost 80-90% of the original product value! –  to make room for newer models and fresh inventory and what was once a task to fight crowds and sift through rows of inventory to find clearance items is now one click away with the reality of online stores. These websites often have a noticeable ‘Clearance’ or ‘Sales’ section and the software allows you to filter through the entire stock based on brand, price, gender and customer reviews or bestsellers. Shopping just got way easier and cheaper!

So, there you have it 7 easy tips to earn cash while you shop and 1 big reason why being a shopaholic is always fun!

The post Online Shopping Secrets : 7 Easy Tips to Earn Cash While You Shop! appeared first on InstantELLA.

As a one-stop shopping solution for new and preloved fashion, using Poshmark can be fun but also challenging, especially for first time users or ‘New Poshers’ in Poshmark terminology. One of the challenges is not knowing what to list in your closet, or what to list first, what items sell, or what brands sell. This could cause some frustration. So today I thought I’d share, from personal experience, some tips on categories, brands & specific items that are trending & quickly sell on Poshmark!

Posh Markets   

Before I joined (and explored) Poshmark. I thought it was just an online shopping solution for women’s clothing. Since then I discovered that there were several ‘Posh Markets’ or categories/ departments that you could shop from. These include the following :

• Women – Activewear, Kicks, Makeup, Maternity
• Men – Activewear, Fine Watches, Kicks, Luxury Accessories
• Kids – Activewear, Kicks, Prom, School;
• Home – Bath, Bedroom, Dining Room, Kitchen, Living Room

The above are basic markets. But they aren’t all.  I’ve seen Poshmark constantly growing, evolving and improving their offerings. So it was not a surprise to see them add new market categories – Luxury, Boutiques, Seasonal Décor, Office, Gifts and even a wholesale Market –  to their already existing and successful markets!

None of this happened overnight. I remember getting updates and introductory feelers to let the Posh community know of these upcoming markets. I even got surveys once in a while, as I am sure many other Poshers did,  to share our feedback on what works and doesn’t and asking for ideas to help improve the buyer/ seller experience and service! The roll out of the Wholesale Market was evidence that Poshmark was aware and encouraging of wholesale retailers using the app solely as a business for profit. The Home, Gifts, Office and Seasonal Décor Markets recognize that some Poshers aren’t only interested in shopping for clothes and shoes. The Maternity, Petties and Plus Size markets are sensitive to addressing that section of consumers specifically. The all-encompassing Posh Markets make Poshmark a truly one-stop shopping solution for fashion!

Brands

So now that we know what Markets are available on Poshmark, let’s go a step further and take a look at some popular brands.

Visible brands include Nike, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, lululemon athletica, PINK Victoria’s Secret, Coach & Chanel among others. If these are some of your favorite brands, you’re in luck and will no doubt have a closet full of these coveted items just looking to find new homes. Keep in mind that while some people like the same brands as others, everyone is unique in their fashion sense and style. The idea is to have a fair mix of brands in your closet – some athleisure, some luxury/ designer, some boutique etc. Consumers crave variety and a variety of brands would mean more fashion/ styling options at an affordable cost range. Your objective should be to keep your closet fresh – give buyers a reason to frequent your closet. Mixing up the brands and frequently listing items will get the job done!

Specific Items

You may have a bunch of Nike Tank tops and Calvin Klein sweatpants listed in your closet and sitting around for a while,  but a listing of a pair of J.Crew Flats or Lululemon Wunder Under High-Rise Tights,  sell immediately. Weird? No it’s not, because it happened to me!  “But Nike is a popular Brand” you say, or “hmmm…. I wonder why?” you say. Well, here’s why. Irrespective of brand, some items just have better traction and demand than others and Poshmark offers these items at prices that are competitive for the seller but also affordable to the buyer. It’s a win-win!

I’d put Activewear – Lucy, lululemon athletica, Fabletics, Gymshark, New Balance, adidas, Adidas by Stella McCartney, Athleta, Puma, Jordan, Nike, Beyond Yoga, ALO Yoga, Onzie, Asics, Spiritual Gangster, Under Armour, Zella –  Shoes, and bottoms (pants, jeans, sweatpants of all types)  at the top of my list of items that sell. My closet has seen a lot of success with these. But other items that are highly searched for and sell equally well on Poshmark include Makeup (Urban Decay, Tarte, Sephora), Bags , Maternity, Outdoor (Billabong, Sanuk, Oakley, Quiksilver, The North Face, Patagonia, Columbia) Designer/ Luxury (Frye, Cole Haan, Helmut Lang) & Jewelry/Accessories.

What’s Trending on Poshmark

When it comes to helping build up your closet, Poshmark has gone a step ahead and even shares a report on Brands that are trending.            

Zara, Converse, Levi’s, PINK Victoria’s Secret, ASOS, Marc Fisher, Everlane, Steve Madden, Vince Camuto, LuLaRoe, Lulu’s, Ray-Ban, Vans, Sam Edelman & Torrid are some of the trending brands.

Free People, Anthropologie, Birkenstock are some the favorite Boho Brands, while Preppy Brands include J. Crew, Kate Spade, Vineyard Vines.

This is expansive but in no way exhaustive information. Poshmark accommodates a lot of Markets, brands and items. If you are a first time Posher trying to set up your ‘New Closet’ online, there’s a lot to sift through and look for and you may have some of these brands. If you have been on Poshmark for a while, looking to up your game in sales, you too could attempt to source some of these brands. Either ways, I hope this information helps you put a spin on your Poshmark Closet because if you’re open to it and willing to put in some time and effort, you can make Poshmark work for you.

The post What Sells On Poshmark: Popular Items, Brands & Posh Markets appeared first on InstantELLA.

It has definitely been a journey – a journey that started with the sole intention of downsizing my closet. I remember the rush I felt at my first sale – an on-trend, comfy grey ‘Old Navy’ pullover sweater. It was not so much that the sweater sold, but the sweet, encouraging buyer appreciation and recommendation comment that really got me.

The Challenge!

I realized putting up a closet on Poshmark isn’t just about making sales. For me, it has grown into something I enjoy doing – from using my creativity involved in the listing process, to sourcing & designing my closet-look,  choosing what items I want to showcase at a posh party, to the challenge of negotiating sales & purchases and finally & most importantly, to the closure of the whole Posh experience with a satisfied buyer and the knowledge that my once loved item has found a new home.

Discovering Fashion Nuances along the way

I never cared too much for fashion. For me, it was more about how one carried off his/her clothes. But now I focus on branding and with it, the more minute details – cuts, sizing, fabric content, place of manufacture and yes, even the style codes/numbers. If you’re thinking that’s a little obsessive, maybe you’re right, but paying attention to the little details is definitely a requirement in this business. Since poshing, I’ve begun to appreciate my clothes more and it comes as an interesting realization when I pick out an item to wear and notice it’s a coveted brand. I feel the kind of ‘special’ I didn’t feel before, especially when I’m wearing it.

Exploring my Creativity

Poshmark keeps me on my toes and creative. I’m regularly updating and sharing my closet. Sounds simple? It involves taking pictures of products/ items, doing research about its value online, listing it and then competitively sharing it to your network of followers and at Posh parties. For someone like me who loves being busy and creative, this is a wonderful diversion from my regular routine and keeps things fresh.

Oh, the convenience of it all!

It’s the work ethic and excitement of the sale, that make me want to ship my items out on the same or following business day. And here again, I let my imagination go wild when it comes to styling my package and having it ship-ready. Ship times and quality of packing are both important for me. My packages get picked up from my mailbox or front porch (for bigger items that don’t fit) and the US Postal service does a fine job of picking up and delivering the item, with the Poshmark app tracking daily updates on the delivery status. So convenient and I think I enjoy this phase of the transaction the most! Imagine doing what shopaholics and fashionistas love, from the comfort & ease of your own home and getting paid for it. Feels wonderful!

Poshmark done the right way can be sustainable & profitable!

Earnings from Posh sales and purchases accumulate as credit in the app , until you are ready to check out with a direct deposit into your Bank of choice or physical cheque delivered to you. The only time I ever spent out of pocket on Poshmark was my first ever purchase. Since then, the earnings from my sales cover the cost of far lesser purchasing transactions. This has given me a sense of financial independence and control, kind of like playing on the stock market with an initial investment which can only grow if you manage it well! I only spend from my accumulated credit on Poshmark. I have never had to inject fresh cash from other sources. As for the capital cost of my inventory – I have always remained faithful to my original goal for joining Poshmark – making space in and downsizing my actual personal/ physical closet. I am blessed with a somewhat good fashion sense, the reason I have waaay too much in my wardrobe. This however means that my actual personal closet is a great and vast source for inventory, ensuring I’m not wasting unnecessary time, energy or capital on out-of-closet items. Poshmark done the right way can be sustainable and profitable!

These are only some of the reasons I love Poshmark. In my next few blog posts I plan to share tips on how to make the best of Poshmark – knowing what brands sell, tips on how to negotiate sales and purchases, what Posh behaviors to follow and how to be creative with your posh packages.

Meanwhile, if you are still undecided or unconvinced about using Poshmark, the only way to decide is by signing up for Poshmark yourself and like they say… the rest will be history.

The post 5 Reasons Why I Posh: Intro To Poshmark For Beginners appeared first on InstantELLA.

It used to be that big department stores and other industrial corporations were the greatest demand of communities. The convenience of having large quantities of items available in one location was a major draw, but more and more we’re being urged to shop local, and here are 5 reasons you should do it, too.

Do it to Support Your Friends and Neighbors

Keeping Your Small Business in Business

Local businesses and farms are run by the people you know living down the street. Imagine how much you could do to further your dreams and ambitions with their support; why not do the same for them?

Supporting your friends and neighbors in their livelihood also helps to improve the relationships you have and the quality of life in your little community.

Do it to Create a Strong Community Economy

How Your Small Business Could Help Your Community

When you buy and sell within your own community, those funds circulate in the local economy which means they stick around and continue to sustain the businesses and organizations you see and use every day.

Spend your hard-earned money in local shops where sales tax will go toward your city’s growth and maintenance rather than one a couple states over. It will benefit your family through public school and community programs, too.

Do it Because it’s Better for the Environment

How To Be More Environmentally Conscious

The great thing about your locally created and manufactured goods through small businesses is they don’t rely on factories that add to pollution. They also make use of environmentally-friendly materials like NuPlastiQ for bags and packaging if they don’t forgo them completely.

In fact, the packaging itself is often its own cute bonus to take home. It tends to be durable, too so you can reuse it then recycle or upcycle it when the time comes.

Do it Because it’s Healthier for You

Calling All Restaurateurs: Improve Restaurant Employee Productivity

With so many concerns about groceries that are too processed, too preserved, too genetically-modified, and too exposed to pesticides, can you really trust food from unknown parts of the country in your own body?

When you shop local, you can trust farmers to sell healthy produce that’s better than what you would find in a large supermarket. You know where it comes from because you pass the fields almost every day and you know whether it’s organic or non-GMO because you know the crew that cultivated it.

Do it Because You’ll Get More Unique Products

Location, Location, Location And Why It’s So Important In Retail

Maybe you thought the Super Walmart on the outskirts of town was supposed to have more variety to choose from, but the truth is, when you walk into a department store, you already know what you’ll find inside.

We all value our individuality, so why would we buy the same products our neighbor does? Local businesses offer unique products just for you. They can often surprise you with something special that just says you and will even take on commissioned pieces. And to ice that cake? You’ll get a more personal customer experience because they care about everything they sell.

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