Shopping online is becoming more and more popular, particularly because so many people have found that they can save a great deal of money by shopping on the Internet instead of shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. I love to shop for clothes, and I use online coupons and do a lot of my clothes shopping online. When I know that I can get a better deal online than in the store by using an online coupon, I have actually gone to the store to try on items to see if I like them and what size I need. Then I ordered the exact same item or items online for much less than the price in the store. Most often, people who shop online tend to buy things that were recommended to them by family members or friends, according to Outlook Money. Another study found that 67 percent of the people who shop online relied on reports from social media sites before they made their purchases, according to TechInAsia. However you decide to make your online purchases, and for whatever reason — whether it’s to keep up with the latest fashions you’ve seen your friends wear, get a great new electronic device a member of your family told you about, or just get a better deal — you can save a lot of money by shopping online. Take Advantage of Online Sales The trend of online shopping is expected to continue to grow in India, reaching as much as $84 billion by the year 2016, according to NDTV Profit. Since so many people are shopping online, online stores are growing, too. But with so many Internet customers, the stores have to keep up with each other or they risk losing business. After all, none of us wants to buy an item from one online store if we can get the exact same thing for less from a different online store. The competition between online retailers results in great savings for you. If I am looking online for an item that is available at more than one online store, I compare prices to see which deal is the best. I also look at the additional costs, like shipping costs. Sometimes, it might be better to buy an item that costs a little more but has free shipping than it is to buy a cheaper item from a site that will charge you for shipping and delivery. Keep an eye out for online sales, too. Just like physical stores that have sales for a limited time, online stores have sales, too. If you find an item you want, but you aren’t in a hurry to purchase it, it can sometimes help you to wait a few days and check the price again. It might have gotten cheaper. It can also help to sign up for email alerts from your favorite online stores. I have a couple of stores that are my favorites and I get email updates from them that let me know when they are having a great deal or promotion that will help me buy the items I want without having to pay full price. Save Extra with Online Coupons One of my favorite reasons for shopping online is that I can use discount coupons on my purchases to save extra money. If I find a full-price item on a retail site that I know frequently has promo codes available, I wait until there is a good discount code before I make my purchase. This saves me a lot of money. You can do the same thing, and it’s an easy process if you know how to get started. Find a website that offers current store discount codes and online coupons for different online shops. When you find an item you want to buy, you can visit this website to see all the coupons that are currently available for the online store you’re planning to shop at. Always remember to shop at reputable websites so that you get quality items and you don’t risk losing money by shopping at a site that is trying to scam you. A good way to feel secure in making your online purchases is to use PayPal as your payment method. PayPal is the safest way to transmit your credit or debit card information online, according to LifeHacker. Be careful and make sure you only put credit or debit card information into a website that you trust. Searching online can help you find out which sites are the best. You should also feel confident in using a website that has plenty of contact information, like an About Us page that describes the company, the policy on returns and exchanges, varying options for payment and a telephone number and email address, such as the contact for customer service, according to ShoutMeLoud. Once you have found reputable sites, some favorite online stores and a great website that shares coupon codes for discounts, you can save money on many online purchases.