Online shopping is one of the biggest conveniences of modern life. You can buy almost any item imaginable, whether it’s a lemon or a car that’s hopefully not a lemon, from the comfort of your own home and have it delivered straight to your door.

However, online shopping can also be a bit overwhelming, as a search for any particular item can yield thousands of results, and sifting through them to find the best product for the best price is time consuming.

So, what’s the most efficient way of working out if you are getting value for money? Here are three ways of getting the best deals online.

Timing

Specific products often go on sale at specific times online. One of the biggest days for this is the Monday after Thanksgiving, when online retailers traditionally roll out a variety of special deals. By taking advantage of these, not only can you save money, you also avoid having to brave the crowds that gather at stores at midnight the day after Thanksgiving.

Clothing e-retailers usually do deals on seasonal items, just like the bricks and mortar stores, so buy your summer clothes in August and September, and you can look forward to the new threads you’ll have to wear in a year’s time!

Use trusted sellers

Beware of deals that aren’t deals; you might be delighted to find, say, a waffle iron for $8 online, but what you may end up with is a piece of junk that will break after you’ve used it a couple of times. As such, it’s better to buy products from a trusted seller with a good reputation.

One seller that consistently offers innovative, reliable products at great prices is As seen on TV. The unique household and outdoor products shop offers reliable quality, amazing variety and excellent value. Using their how-to videos, you can get a good idea of exactly what you’re buying before committing a single cent.

When you’ve used a particular seller, and trust the service they provide, be sure to bookmark them so you can return to them easily in the future. At the same time, to avoid overpaying for products you regularly buy, erase the cookies from your web browser. Most online retailers use cookies – small text files stored on your device – to anticipate spending patterns; instead of rewarding your loyalty with a discount, they will often hike up the price of items you frequently purchase.

Online tools

Don’t be afraid to try out some of the many tools available to help you get the best price when shopping online. Websites such as Bizrate will compare prices and reviews for you, while PriceBlink, a browser add-on, compares prices and shipping costs, and will let you know if there are coupons available for what you want to buy.

If you’re into planning ahead, consider using a price tracking website like PriceZombie, which will keep track of the price of products you’re looking to buy and notify you when they are at their cheapest.

Also, make sure you’re using the right browser. For some reason, online retailers offer different prices depending on which browser you use. Test this out by comparing prices via Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer. And if you have an Apple Mac rather than a PC, you could also be paying higher prices.

Online tricks

You can haggle online, believe it or not. Any online retailer with a customer service pop-up is practically asking you make them an offer. If you don’t like negotiating in person, you may find it easier – and even fun – with an online customer service representative.

The old shopping cart trick can still work when it comes to getting a deal online. Simply place the items you want to buy into your online shopping cart, then leave the site. Many retailers will email you offering you a discount in order to make the sale.

Speaking of emails, while newsletters and updates from your favorite brands, not to mention social media posts, can be irritating, they are among the best ways of getting coupons, discounts and other offers. If you’re really ambitious, keep track of when they offer their best deals, that way you can almost always buy at less than the recommended retail price. If you just can’t stand the avalanche of emails, check out websites such as RetailMeNot, which tell you how to find coupons for online stores.

There are some great deals out there for shoppers who use trusted sellers, the right tools and the odd trick at the right time. However, bear in mind that, while it’s great to get a good deal, if it’s taking you two hours shopping to save $10, you really haven’t got a good deal at all; value your time as much as your money, and you can be sure you’ll never be far off getting the best deals online.