Seems like we always abbreviate words and phrases we use a lot of – TV for television, Web for World Wide Web – and Online Shopping is no different.

For example – In Ex #1 do you know how much you will pay for the Crock Pot at the time you purchase it?

Ex #1 – Best Crock Pot Ever – Reg $34.99 Today $24.99 Shipped after $5 MIR

Will you pay

$19.99?
$24.99?
$29.99?
$ 5.00?
$34.99?

OK & What about this -

Ex #2 – iPod – Reg $159 Today $135 Shipped

Will you have to pay more than $135?

Let’s step through some of the commonly used online shopping terms.  You’ll be online shopper savy before you can bring up a new Dealtaker Window

Shipped – This means the price you see is all inclusive.  In Ex #2 the ‘Today $135 Shipped’ means you will pay $135 at the time of purchase. The Shipping charge is included in the price shown.

Ex #3 – Logitech Mouse – Reg $38.75 Now $18.75 A/R, Free Shipping!

A/R – After Rebate – The price you are given before the A/R (Ex #3 – $18.75) is NOT what you will be paying out-of-pocket at purchase. This is the net price that you will have paid after you have received your rebate check.  So in Ex #3 you pay $38.75 now and then fill out a rebate request for $20 – Be careful – There can be a lot of catches when rebates are involved so be sure to read the requirements before you make this kind of purchase.

MIR – Mail in rebate – This is the most common type of Rebate (See A/R above)

Flat rate shipping – The shipping charge is normally based on the $ amount of your order or the area it is being delivered to.  A Flat Rate Shipping Charge, as shown in Ex #4, means you will pay one rate, in this case $6.99, regardless of any other order information. *See ONE EXCEPTION below.

For example you will pay $6.99 in total for shipping whether you purchase the hutch for $69.99, the Cabinet for $99.99 or BOTH for $150.

There is ONE EXCEPTION to this -

Extra handling fee for heavy items, bulky or fragile items -  This is an additional fee on top of the stores normal shipping charge.  This is usually applied to Furniture items but can pop up anywhere.

Ex #4 – Corner Hutch – Reg $99.99 Now $69.99, Corner Cabinet – Reg $129.99 Now $99.99 – Save when you buy both – Now $150, Flat Rate Shipping of 6.99

So still using Ex #4 lets say that the Hutch has a $20 extra handling fee and the Cabinet has a $30 extra handling fee:

You will pay $96.98 in total for the Hutch ($69.99 sale price + $20 extra handling fee + $6.99 shipping = $96.98 Shipped)
You will pay $136.98 in total for the Cabinet ($99.99 sale price + $30 extra handling fee + $6.99 shipping = $136.98 Shipped)

Coupon or Promo Code - This is a code that can be applied to an order to discount the order or an item in some way (ie free ship, % off, $ off, gift with purchase).

Little tidbit of info – The term Promo comes from ‘promotion code’.  Before online shopping, Mail order catalogs would use this code to provide sale pricing to a specific group of customers.  A catalog could be sent with a dress priced at $60 instead of its normal price of $80.  If someone else were to pick up a non-sale catalog they would see the $80 price.  In a nut shell a promotion code allowed a store to target different groups of customers based on specific criteria.

Stack coupons – This is when a store will allow you to apply multiple coupon or promo codes on the same order.  For example there may be two coupons/promos you are eligible for – one coupon for free shipping and one for a % or $ off the item.

Using Ex #5 – Lets say that the item is on sale for $37.99.  To pay only $32.99 in total, or shipped, you will need to apply the ‘$5 off $30 promo code’ and the ‘Free Shipping on $20′ promo code.

It is very uncommon to see Stores allowing coupon/promo code stacking.  It is not uncommon, however, for a store to have a free shipping offer that does not require a code AND a promo/coupon code that will allow you to take an extra discount.

Ex #5 – Bed-in-a-bag – Reg $79.99 Now $32.99 Shipped + $5 off $30 promo/Free shipping on $20 coupon Stacked.

A couple other abbreviations that are good to know are:

DOD – Deal of the Day
DOW – Deal of the Week

These deals are only for a very limited time and as I always say “Don’t Wait!  You may be too late”

Alright then – back to my first question – how much you will pay for the Crock Pot at the time you purchase it?

Ex #1 – Best Crock Pot Ever – Reg $34.99 Today $24.99 Shipped after $5 MIR

$19.99?
$24.99?
$29.99?
$ 5.00?
$34.99?

Yep $29.99.  Once you fill out your rebate info and receive a check for $5 you will have only paid the $24.99 Shipped.

**I have not discussed taxes on purpose – too many variables.

So take your online shopping savvy self over to Dealtaker and check out just how much Dealtaker.com can save you!