Shopping online becomes more convenient every year, especially as your social media algorithm funnels you into a perfectly curated shopping spree. Not only do companies like Amazon and Walmart allow you to get nearly anything you need delivered in two days or less, but many storefront retailers have also set up an online shopping option.
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If you plan to do some shopping without leaving the house, make sure you are optimizing your time and money by avoiding the worst day of the week to online shop.
Weekends, Particularly Saturday, Could Be the Worst Time
Many people shop online during the weekend. This might not seem like an issue, since there’s no foot traffic to deal with, but you might face increased demand and higher prices. Due to this higher demand, online shopping — especially on Saturdays — typically offers fewer discounts and potential shipping delays. Thus, it may be the time to avoid online shopping.
Though some shopping experts have also flagged Tuesday mornings as a time that can have high prices because of dynamic pricing algorithms, midweek is often better for finding discounts.
“Saturdays and Sundays commonly see a surge in demand, often diminishing both stock availability and the likelihood of securing any substantial discounts,” said Virginia Miller, a spokesperson for Simpl Fulfillment, an e-commerce company.
Depending on where you live and the platform you’re using, you might also experience delays in shipping times. This is more often the case with smaller retailers, or certain stores on sites like Etsy where the shop owner might not fulfill or ship your order until after the weekend.
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Midweek Online Shopping Often Means Discounts
You might see more deals if you shop during the week as opposed to the weekend.
“Online shopping patterns do follow certain trends! Based on data analytics, Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be the best days to shop,” said Miller. “With many retailers launching midweek promotions, the potential for discounts and deals is relatively high.”
Plus, many online retailers have more stock during the week, since there’s a little less demand. Not only that, but you could receive your goods sooner if you shop on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
Keep an Eye on Sales Cycles
Because every retailer is different, there’s not a specific “best” or “worst” day to shop for all. That being said, many retailers still follow a specific sales cycle. Knowing the cycle could help you save the most money while shopping.
“Retailers often follow the same calendar of sales each year, also known as their ‘sales cycle,'” said Samantha Landau, consumer expert at TopCashback. “Sales often take place around long weekends and holidays, such as Presidents’ Day in February or Memorial Day in May. If you’re planning a large online purchase, consider when the items will go on sale next before paying full price.”
You can also find some great deals around Black Friday or Cyber Monday. The main issue with this is that items often go out of stock, as other people are trying to score those same deals. You might also face longer shipping and delivery times with the increased competition.
Time of Day Matters, Too
If you want to beat the crowd, Miller suggested making your purchases early in the mornings or late in the evenings, when there are fewer online shoppers around. If you want to get your items sooner, shop early and you could get them shipped to you sooner.
Always Maximize Reward and Cash-Back Opportunities
Regardless of when or where you’re shopping, saving money is always a win. One way to do that is with the right credit card.
“For example, you might have a credit card that offers extra cash back or points per dollar spent online,” said Landau. “Look into the terms of your credit card’s program to determine if it offers these rewards, and make a note to use that card for your online purchases. Depending on the program, you may be able to use the earned rewards towards a statement credit on your next credit card bill.”
“Whenever you shop online, make sure you’re using a cash-back site. Otherwise, you’re essentially leaving free money on the table,” said Landau. “TopCashback is a great choice, since it’s the only free cash-back site in the U.S. that gives 100% of the cash back earned from purchases through its site back to members.”
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for these articles.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Don’t Shop Online on This Day of the Week
