Finance expert Martin Lewis has shared a "sneaky trick" that can help online shoppers save money at a host of major retailers, from Morrisons to JD Sports. The founder of the Money Saving Expert website discussed the tip on his BBC podcast, calling it the 'basket bluff'.
How the 'basket bluff' works
Mr Lewis explained that shoppers should place items in their online shopping basket but not complete the purchase. Leaving an order unfinished often prompts the store to send a discount code as an encouragement to finish the transaction.
He said: "I've talked about it before but it does work really well, especially at this time of year." He added: "Go and put your shopping in the basket online - and then don't do anything; do not complete."
Mr Lewis told listeners: "You'd be staggered at the amount of times that, within a couple of days, they send you a discount for that shopping basket." He noted that now is a good time to try it, particularly for those who start their Christmas shopping early.
Retailers where the trick works
The finance expert listed many major online retailers where people have successfully obtained discounts using the delay method. These include Lloyds Pharmacy, Waitrose, Furniture Village, Argos, Asda, Virgin Wines, Dorothy Perkins, Sainsbury's, Princess Cruises, Next, M&S, ASOS, eBooks, Morrisons, Avenue, Virgin Media, Boohoo, Evans, Biogena, Emma Bridgewater, Cotton Traders, JD Sports, Ocado, Boden, Tesco, Very, Deliveroo and Brandalley.
Real-life success stories
Mr Lewis also shared examples of the trick's success. A shopper named Kate received a 20% discount on a vacuum cleaner, while another, called Charlie, held off on ordering a wedding dress from ASOS and then received an email offering 20% off—a saving of £37.
