Master Online Sales: A Complete Guide to Scoring the Best Discounts

Learn how to navigate Clearance Sale Sections and Seasonal Sale Events to maximise your savings

Staying up to date with the latest sales can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options available at your favourite online stores. And just when you find the perfect deal, your size may already be sold out!

That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you make the most of both Clearance sections (also known as permanent sales, available year-round) and seasonal sale events (which offer bigger but time-sensitive discounts). With these expert tips, you’ll master the art of sale shopping – whether you’re grabbing end-of-season bargains or gearing up for events like Black Friday.

Keep an eye on permanent sale sections

You’ll often find that online retailers offer permanent sale sections (sometimes referred to as Clearance sections) that boast year-round savings of anywhere from 20%-80% off. Often these are clearance sales but sometimes they also include popular seasonal items.

If you’re browsing a permanent sale section, checking regularly is key. Since these sections are always available, they tend to update stock more slowly.

Permanent sales don’t usually have the same extreme markdowns as limited-time events but they’re great for picking up small discounts every time you shop online.

Mark your calendar for sale events

While most retailers offer permanent sales sections for end-of-line stock, the majority also provide seasonal sale events that offer bigger discounts and time-sensitive savings. These limited events often sell out quickly so it is important to have a strategy in place to make sure you secure the best bargains.

Sale Event	Time of Year
New Year’s Sales	January 1st – mid January
Winter Sales	Late December – January
Valentine’s Day Sales	February (first half)
Easter Sales	March – April
May Bank Holiday Sales	Late April – early May
Summer Sales	June – August
Back to School Sales	August – early September
Black Friday	Last Friday of November
Cyber Monday	Monday after Black Friday (late November)
Christmas Sales	December (first half)
Boxing Day Sales	December 26th – early January

Firstly, make sure you make a note of when the best sales are available. Major sale events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer huge discounts in November, helping you get Christmas-ready at bargain prices.

Other major sale events include the Easter and January sales, while some retailers like Argos, Amazon and Boots offer their own seasonal sale events like the Big Red Event, Prime Day and the annual better than half price sale.

Stay Updated with Newsletters and Social Media

If you’re prone to forgetting key sale dates, signing up for newsletters is the perfect way to get reminders from your go-to retailers before their sales go live. Newsletter members also often get pre-access to sales events and sometimes even bigger savings. Retailers may also alert you when new stock is added to permanent sale sections or when further reductions are made, helping you catch discounts outside of major sale periods.

Similarly, following your favourite brands on social media is another great way to stay updated on both upcoming seasonal sales and ongoing permanent sale savings. Turn on notifications to ensure you don’t miss any announcements about flash sales, exclusive offers, or stock updates.

Research the products you want

Before making any purchase, it’s essential to research the products you want to buy. You can add items to your wishlist or basket early, which makes checking out faster, especially during seasonal sale events. Keep an eye on the product’s price history to ensure the discount you’ve found is genuinely a good deal.

For permanent sale sections, researching the product regularly is key, as these items often experience gradual price reductions or might even go out of stock. Checking back frequently ensures you don’t miss further discounts or updates.

If you’re shopping for trendy items or tech during a seasonal sale, it’s important to know the life cycle of the product. That way, you won’t be left disappointed when a newer model releases a few months later, and you can make a more informed decision about whether to purchase now or wait for the latest version.

Compare prices from various retailers

Always make a list of retailers who sell the same products, that way you can compare their prices to make sure you get the best deal possible. You should also note down which retailers offer price match promises. For example, John Lewis is notoriously never knowingly undersold.

Create an account with your retailer

In preparation for a big sale event, make an account with your retailer in advance to make shopping quicker. With an account, you can save personal details including your address and payment information. You can also like or add your desired products to a wishlist in your chosen size or colour.

This way, if your item is popular, you can ensure you check out as soon as possible before it sells out.

This is also great for permanent sale items. If an item that’s on your wishlist drops in price or becomes part of the sale, you’ll more than likely be alerted via email or an app notification and can secure it while it’s discounted.

Use Search Filters

When it comes to shopping in any sale, whether it be a permanent sale section or a limited-time-only sale event, using filters to narrow down your search results is crucial.

Whether you’re looking to shop in an exact price range, want to filter by size or search for the most popular sale items, you can narrow down your search in whatever way you want to make it easier to find the perfect item. Filters are also the perfect way to find designer brands you love for bargain prices!

When dealing with a huge sale section, shoppers can also use the advanced filters at the side of the sale section to tailor their search even further. For instance, beauty websites like Boots allow you to filter skincare and makeup searches based on features like skin type, finish, SPF, coverage and ingredients. This way, you can find the perfect product at the lowest possible price.

Leave items in your basket

Another way you can try and keep costs low is to leave sale items in your basket. Retailers often try to tempt you back into completing your purchase by sending “before you leave codes,” offering discounts via exit-intent pop-ups, or sending exclusive offers to your email inbox. This is especially useful for permanent sale items, as retailers frequently offer further discounts or codes to save an extra 10%-20% off these items.

However, if you’re shopping during a seasonal sale that’s available for a limited time, it’s usually better to check out as soon as possible since popular items can sell out quickly. While you may still receive follow-up offers, the stock might not last long enough to take advantage of them.

Make use of reviews and ratings

Reviews from users are the perfect way to understand the quality of the product you’re looking to purchase and whether it’s worth the money. These days most fashion retailers also include ratings on things like size and include pictures so you can view the products on a real-life body.

Also keep your eyes peeled for TrustPilot reviews on websites, as this is the best place to find feedback on products and retailers as a whole. TrustPilot also allows you to compare companies to make sure you’re shopping online at the best place possible.

Make the most of loyalty programmes

If you’re unfamiliar with loyalty programs, they are a great way to earn exclusive rewards, benefits and discounts on your future purchases online. Each order you make will allow you to collect loyalty points which can later be redeemed for benefits. We especially like loyalty rewards as they often allow us to gain early access to sales, which helps us pick up the best bargains first. Some loyalty programmes also offer extra savings on permanent sale sections for members.

Use discount code websites and extensions

Discount code websites like NetVoucherCodes are great for staying updated on the latest seasonal sales and long-term sales. We keep shoppers in the know with updated sales pages for some of the most popular online retailers.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get a summary of each month’s biggest sale events. Often, we also offer codes that can be used alongside sale items.

Browser extensions are also great tools for automatically adding coupons and comparing prices while you shop online.

Avoid impulse sale buys

Shoppers often regret impulse buys of things they don’t really want due to heavy discounts. That is why it is important to do your research, read reviews, compare prices and make sure you’re clued up on things like delivery fees and return policies to ensure you’re investing in something you truly want, not just because it’s on sale. To help with this, you should also set yourself a strict budget before you begin shopping.

Start Shopping Smarter and Save More Today

Now that you’ve got all the tips, start shopping smarter by signing up for sale alerts and keeping an eye on those permanent sale sections. Make sure to check out NetVoucherCodes for the latest discount codes and offers!