Frugal Hack #3: Use Live Chat To Score Deals

(Welcome to the third post in my new Frugal Hacks series. Frugal life tips which take very little time to implement, but could conceivably save you a ton of money every year.)

Have you looked under every stone and still can’t find a coupon code to save some cash on your online purchase? This frugal hack may be just what the doctor ordered. Utilize the live chat feature that many online retailers have available. Many live chat operators have a handful of coupon codes at their disposal and are just waiting to hand them out. So start a chat session, ask the operator a question or two about the item you are considering, then before you log-off ask then if they may be so kind as to share a coupon code with you. There is a great chance you’ll end up with free shipping or up to 30% off your entire purchase.

Below is a screen capture of how my live chat session went when I scored a Lands’ End coupon a couple weeks ago:

The Skinny:

~ Be Nice - Your chances of getting a coupon from a live chat operator increase as your “niceness” level increases. I have no stats to back this up but it’s just human nature. If you are rude, many operators will be glad to have you pay full price. So be polite and considerate and your chances of scoring a deal will increase dramatically.

~ Be Thankful - Be sure to thank the live chat operator once they have delivered the goods. Not only is it good karma but increases your odds of getting a coupon the next time you need one.

~ Be A Saver - Have the mindset of a saver. Always consider creative ways to save money, especially when shopping online. This technique definitely falls into the creative category and should be added to your money saving tool belt immediately, you will not be disappointed. You have absolutely nothing to lose!

Have you tried this frugal hack before? If so, how did you go about it and were you successful?

9 Responses to “Frugal Hack #3: Use Live Chat To Score Deals”

1. The Happy Homeowner on January 7th, 2013 12:16 pm

   This is a brilliant idea; thanks for sharing!
   The Happy Homeowner recently posted…2013 Financial, Personal and Household Goals

   [Reply]

2. Kyle on January 7th, 2013 12:27 pm

   Thanks HH! – Look for this trend to increase even more in 2013 as retailers look to interact with potential customers in a more personal way. Thanks for coming by.
   Kyle recently posted…Frugal Hack #3: Use Live Chat To Score Deals

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3. DC @ Young Adult Money on January 7th, 2013 4:24 pm

   I like this frugal chat! I still have yet to try it out but sounds like it should work a decent amount of the time. I love your prior hack of emptying your shopping cart and then waiting for them to offer you a deal
   DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted…Save Money: 5 Sources of Free Entertainment

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4. Kyle on January 7th, 2013 4:32 pm

   Thanks David – I forget that I mentioned this tip in my guest post on your site. The abandon cart tip just may be frugal hack #4 next week!

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5. KK @ Student Debt Survivor on January 7th, 2013 7:53 pm

   Good tip, I wouldn’t have thought of doing that. I usually just close out of the windows with the live help. Next time I’ll give this a go.
   KK @ Student Debt Survivor recently posted…Reasons You Didn’t Get Hired-Part II

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6. Holly@ClubThrifty on January 8th, 2013 5:24 am

   I love using live chat. Its so preferrable to talking to someone on the phone!
   Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted…Credit Card Churning: A Year in Review

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7. Kyle on January 8th, 2013 10:31 am

   @ KK – I typically open up the live help (if available) right when I visit a site and starting chatting them up!

   @ Holly- totally agree, so much easier to get to the point!

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8. John @ Frugal Rules on January 8th, 2013 11:53 am

   I love using live chat as it’s so much more convenient, but never thought of asking for a coupon code. As someone who has worked in customer service in the past I could not agree more with being nice. If you’re nice then I’ll bend over backwards for you. If you’re being a jerk for no good reason then you can pay full price like anyone else.
   John @ Frugal Rules recently posted…4 Helpful Free Investment Tools

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9. Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank on January 9th, 2013 5:50 am

   I didn’t actually know you could use live chats to score coupons. Great tip!
   Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted…Sell Structured Settlement Payments – Lump Sum vs Annuity

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