Here's Another Reason to Shop Online Instead of Stores Right Now

It's not just a matter of not having to deal with crowds.

When the pandemic first hit, many consumers halted the practice of shopping in stores and took to shopping online instead. That way, they could get the things they needed without having to put their health at risk.

At this point, most people in decent health aren't staying away from public places. But many are still doing a lot of their shopping online after having adopted that habit in 2020.

Now, the reality is that there are many benefits to shopping mostly online instead of in stores. For one thing, there's the matter of not having to deal with crowds or wait in long lines to check out. Instead, you can take your time browsing and then, when you're ready to complete a purchase, enter your credit card details and be done in what could be a couple of minutes or less.

Plus, shopping online could save you money on gas. This especially holds true if you live in an area where there aren't many stores in close proximity to your home.

But that's not the only way shopping online might save you money. Due to a recent trend, it could pay to stick to online shopping in the coming months in particular.

You might snag even more bargains

In December, the cost of online goods dropped, reports Adobe Analytics, as retailers offered up deep discounts to entice consumers to shop. In fact, online prices have declined for four months in a row. And if that trend continues, it means shopping online might lead to notable savings.

It’s worth noting that in recent months, the rate of inflation has fallen as well. So a drop in online prices could be tied into that. But still, a decline in online prices is a positive thing for consumers, many of whom are cash-strapped due to a general uptick in living costs. 

How to shop online without going overboard

The danger of shopping online is that you're not handing over actual cash for your purchases. As such, it can be easy to lose track of what you're buying if you don't check your credit card balance regularly. 

If you're going to do most of your shopping online, keep a running tab somewhere, whether it's a spreadsheet or a written list. Consult that list every pay period to help ensure you don't end up in debt.

At the same time, it's generally a good idea to limit your online purchases to needs, and only spend money on wants if you're absolutely certain you can afford them. And also, pay attention to shipping costs. While many retailers offer shipping at no extra cost, some retailers still charge for shipping. In some cases, you'll be looking at a flat fee. In other cases, the cost of shipping might hinge on the total value of your order.

You might also run into a situation where you can snag free shipping for meeting a certain threshold -- for example, $25 on Amazon (assuming you don't have a Prime membership, in which case there's no minimum for free shipping). Be careful here, too. If you're constantly spending an additional $5 here and $10 there to get free shipping, you may not end up saving much or any money.