Coupon codes are called promotional codes by some online retailers. Don’t let this confuse you – they are the same thing, really. Most of the time, the online codes are a series of numbers, numbers and letters mixed, or a short word that relates to the type of retailer, usually in all capital letters. For example, a PetSmart code could look like this
Another type of code is a clickable link that leads you to a page where a number/letter code will be displayed for you to enter when you check out. These codes are often included in email newsletters that online retailers send to customers who have signed up for them.
If you think about it, you’ll realize that an online coupon is merely a more modern version of the coupons shoppers have been clipping from the Sunday newspaper inserts for many years. And, like those paper coupons, online coupons can be found for almost any product that is sold on the Internet. You should be able to find coupon codes for the following.
- Food
- Sporting Goods
- Shoes
- Jewelry
- Art and Photography
- Office Supplies
- Online Services
- Music CDs, Movie DVDs, Video Games’
- Kitchen accessories, including cookware
- Gardening and Outdoor supplies
- Toys and Games
- Cigarettes and Cigars
- Airline Tickets
- Concert and Event Tickets
- Rental Cars
- Hotel Accommodations
- Restaurants
In short, anything that is sold on the Internet by a retailer or company, large or small, can have a coupon code associated with it. You will sometimes see multiple codes, and in this case, you should stop and figure out which one would give you the best value.
When you are just starting out using coupons online to save money, this all might seem a little confusing. But, after you’ve completed a transaction or two, you will catch on like an old pro.
For example, let’s say that you want to do some shopping at The Body Shop online. Your first step is to visit a website devoted to coupon codes in order to see if there are any current ones for this retailer. You spy not just one, but several codes. There is one that offers you free shipping on your order another which gives you 10% off of the total amount you spend, and another that is for $10 off when you spend $25. How will you know which one to use?
Depending on how much you are planning to spend, it’s a tossup between the $10 off and the 10% off. On some web sites, you can use more than one coupon code, which is called stacking. This is a very popular method for maximum savings, and a perfectly legitimate option. You won’t know if a retailer will allow the use of multiple codes until you actually type them into the space on the order blank and update the page to see if they went through. If they did, you will notice that your total amount due has been reduced. If they didn’t you will see a brief message, sometimes in red text that explains why you were not given the discount. It’s well worth your time to try multiple coupon codes each time you shop online!
The codes themselves are somewhat predictable. Generally, they are like the ones in the example above – a percentage or a flat amount off of your total bill, or free shipping. There have also been instances, usually seasonal, where the addition of a special coupon code will yield a free gift.
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