Originally published on Purcado.

Check your inbox. How many store emails are you subscribed to right now? Currently, I’m subscribed to 273 email newsletters. From outlet deals to coupon sites, it’s safe to say my Gmail ‘Promotions’ tab is overflowing. Don’t even get me started on how many retail websites I visit before I make a purchase. (Hint: it’s too many to count).

With so many avenues to shop and so many price points to decide on, I’ve fallen prey to information overload one too many times. There are simply too many options, too many stores, too many prices, too many return policies—how could anyone ever possibly make a decision?

Then, I found the ultimate comparison website that basically Marie Kondo-ed the Internet (more specifically the world of online shopping) for me.

Purcado Helped Online Shopping Spark Joy For Me Again. Here’s How.

Enter Purcado—the most comprehensive shoe price comparison tool on the web. Here’s how it organized my shopping experience and helped me find the shoes I wanted fast (at a price I could actually afford!).

Attacks the clutter for you.

Daily, we battle marketplaces that claim to make our shopping experiences easier—but actually, they overload us with choices and hammer our inboxes with “daily deals” that aren’t so great. Frankly, we live in a world of online clutter and it’s exhausting.

Purcado cuts through the noise. By organizing shoe data from 60+ stores and running your search through its sophisticated algorithm, the site helps you find the best price on exactly what you want. Search once—just once!—to see what stores across the web have your shoe size and style in stock. Prices are ranked lowest to highest, so you’ll be able to do a quick comparison of the best deal without hopping all over the Internet.

Categorizes the retailers by the exact shoe.

Step number four in Marie Kondo’s method is to tidy by category, not location. Retail sites “tidy” their inventories by offering sections for men, women, and kids. Or, they seclude deals in a section titled ‘clearance’.

Purcado goes a step further helping you find the best price on shoes regardless of location. You can find the same shoe in many, many retail locations (in-store and across the web). Using its innovative search technology, Purcado shows you all of the data for one particular shoe. By neatly organizing the shoe’s data into one category, you can make an informed shopping decision before you buy.

Filters listings to spark joy.

With every search on Purcado, you’re sure to find a shoe that sparks joy—who doesn’t love finding a sale? Instead of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the online clutter, Purcado’s neat, organized listings and its easy-to-use search engine will create in you a sense of peace.

Purcado’s algorithm works hard to deliver you the results you want. To simplify your search further, you can filter by gender, size, color, brand, and price to get more personalized results.

Take a second to review the item. Decide if it sparks joy, then tap ‘Get It Now’. No more clutter. No more frustration. Just savings and joy. We think Marie would be proud.

Purcado: We’ve Marie Kondo-ed Online Shoe Shopping

Most people know about Marie Kondo from her bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and her latest Netflix Original, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. She has a track record of turning hoarders into organizers. And, suddenly, everyone in America wants to live orderly.

Marie Kondo made it her mission to tidy up and organize homes across the world. At Purcado, we’ve made it our mission to organize the mess that was shoe shopping on the Internet. Online shopping shouldn’t be so frustrating. Finding the best price on the shoes you want in your size should be simple. Search today—we’re sure you’ll find a price that sparks joy!

Originally published on Purcado.

If you want to save money on athletic shoes, when and where you shop matters—and, contrary to popular belief, the holidays aren’t always the best time to shop and save.

All of December, you rushed around the overcrowded mall to score the latest 70% off sale. You stopped in every department store imaginable to use coupons you’d accrued through the Black Friday madness. You scored Amazon deals and used your extra Kohl’s Cash to snag those precious last-minute gifts. When it comes to holiday sales and savings, you’ve seen and done it all…right?

Tired of shopping and feeling hopeless for better deals, you might be surprised by what we’re about to say: January is actually the best time to shop…especially for athletic shoes. Here’s why.

Why Is January the Best Time to Shop for Athletic Shoes?

You might think that, in the digital age, sales come and go at a steady rate. That’s simply not the case. Research shows that deep discounts for many products are still tied to a particular month of the year. January is known for being the fitness month—because we’re all still clinging to our hope of New Year’s resolutions. If you’re shopping for athletic sneakers, athleisure, or running shoes, January is the best time to score low prices on popular brands.

2019 Deals by Month: When Is the Best Time to Shop?

Savvy shoppers know that the best way to score great deals on products you love is to be informed. Let’s break down which months have the best deals—and where you can find steals on shoes and more in 2019.

January

January is the best time to shop for shoes, especially if you’re looking to score a deal on the latest athletic styles. With your New Year’s resolutions still going strong, this shouldn’t be a difficult purchase to make. After the holidays, retailers want to capitalize on the “new year, new me” attitude. You can expect major sales and discounts on brands like Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, Brooks, Asics, and more until the end of the month. Shop around first and always search Purcado for the best price.

This is also a great month to score deals on fitness equipment from sporting goods stores and bedding, towels, and sheets from big-box department stores.

Date to Remember: January 21 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

February

February is the month of love. While you might pay a small fortune for fresh flowers, a box of chocolates, and a nice steak dinner on Valentine’s, you can treat yourself to savings in other departments. If you shop close to Super Bowl Sunday, you’re likely to score big on a new TV from Amazon or Target.

This is also a great month to shop for boots, scarves, and sweaters. Retailers are clearing out winter merchandise in preparation for spring—and President’s Day weekend will be the best time to shop. Also, might we add: shopping online can give you the ease of finding your size on sale (…sizes and styles in-store will be limited this time of year!).

Dates to Remember: February 14 is Valentine’s Day and February 18 is President’s Day.

March

With spring just around the corner, you might be excited to buy a new pair of sandals—but if you’re looking to score savings, you’ll be out of luck! Planning ahead for late summer vacations has its advantage here, as March is the best time to shop for luggage at a discount.

Why? Because the spring break and summer vacation seasons haven’t quite kicked off. Most people don’t buy luggage quite this early in the year—but if you do, you might save big.

Date to Remember: March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day.

April

In April, you can look forward to plenty of spring cleaning-themed sales from retailers. In the past, big names like Target and Amazon have put vacuums, Swiffers, and other cleaning items on sale around this time of year.

Date to Remember: April 21 is Easter Sunday.

May

May means major savings! By this time of year, retailers will have already stocked shelves with summer sandals, swimsuits, and vacation-ready attire. To get rid of the excess spring attire, you can expect sandals and anything with a pastel hue to go on sale ASAP. Expect the biggest savings near the end of the month—aka Memorial Day Weekend.

Dates to Remember: May 12 is Mother’s Day and May 27 is Memorial Day.

June

Father’s Day is the major holiday in June, and we often expect to see deals on tools, grilling equipment, and any dad-centric gifts. However, June is also the best time of year to consider buying a new gym membership. Gym sign-up rates are low—aka those New Year’s resolutions have worn off—and studios are eager to bring in new clients. Lace up those shoes you bought in January. Now is the time to kick yourself into gear!

Date to Remember: June 16 is Father’s Day.

July

Making it halfway through the year is something to celebrate—or so say many retailers. In the past few years, stores have begun offering a “Christmas in July” sale (and they bring with them major, major, major savings!). Plus, you can expect Amazon to offer fantastic bargains this July with its fifth-annual Amazon Prime Day.

What to shop in July? Well, a little bit of everything. Prime Day offers major discounts on tech, home goods, televisions, shoes, athletic gear, and more. Expect competitors to do the same.

Dates to Remember: July 4 is Independence Day and Amazon Prime Day is TBD.

August

Summer’s out. School’s back in session. Look for end-of-season clearance sales in August from all of your favorite retailers. Back-to-school sales offer major discounts on sneakers and year-round shoe styles. Plus, Target will be your best place to shop for school supplies—as they have an excellent selection and killer savings (just make sure you have the Target app on your phone!).

Dates to Remember: August 1 begins Back-To-School shopping season.

September

September marks the end of summer. As Labor Day weekend comes around, expect major sales on home appliances, furniture, and last-season shoe styles.

This is also a great month to score a new iPhone. Apple’s annual Keynote takes place every September—which means they release all the details on Apple’s latest and greatest tech for the upcoming year. Current iPhone models tend to go on sale right before or right after this event. Keep your eyes peeled.

Date to Remember: September 2 is Labor Day.

October

Summer is long gone—but steals and deals on summer items aren’t quite in the past. Expect great deals on patio furniture, lawn mowers, and other outdoor items. Diwali also takes place in October—so expect retailers to put gifting items, shoes, clothing, and more on sale, too!

Date to Remember: October 31 is Halloween.

November

Ah, November. With Black Friday only weeks away, you’re sure to find savings on a little bit of everything. For those looking for specific gifts for friends and family, you’re in luck. Stores all over will begin discounting items the week before Black Friday (and many Black Friday sales start on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving!).

Dates to Remember: November 11 is Veteran’s Day, November 28 is Thanksgiving, and November 29 is Black Friday.

December

We’ve given an awful lot of grief to the holidays, haven’t we? Well, we can say this: December has one of the best online shopping days of the year. Score amazing deals at Amazon, Target, and more on Cyber Monday. It’s one of the best times to shop tech, shoes, furniture, and gift items. December 26th, however, is the absolute best time to shop this month. After-Christmas sales are way better than pre-Christmas discounts. Look for savings on shoes, clothing, home, electronics, and Christmas decorations.

Dates to Remember: December 2 is Cyber Monday, December 24 is Christmas Eve, and December 25 is Christmas Day.

Save Big Every Day With Purcado: Here’s How

As we said before, when and where you shop matters. Use Purcado to take the where out of the equation. Our one-of-a-kind search engine scours the web for the best prices on shoes, every day. Search for the style or brand you want—and we’ll return you a list of the stores that have your shoe in stock. On one list, you can easily compare prices among stores and choose the lowest price based on your size and color requirements.

You’ll never have to hop from site to site again. Use Purcado once and you’ll never look back. We’re the smarter way to shop for shoes—try us out today!

Originally published on Purcado.

Update: Amazon is offering free standard shipping (5 to 8 business days) this holiday season. No minimum purchase required—and no Prime membership! Offer is valid until 12/14 for guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Read more about Amazon’s free holiday shipping here >>

Amazon is an absolute powerhouse in the retail realm. However, pesky shipping charges can make Amazon a pain for non-Prime members worried about saving a few extra bucks. Wondering how to get free shipping on Amazon this holiday season? If you haven’t broken down and purchased a Prime membership, here are four easy ways to score free shipping on Amazon before year-end.

How To Get Free Shipping on Amazon Without Prime

1. Add $25+ to your cart.

Wondering how to get free shipping on Amazon? Look for the words “Free Shipping” in the item description. Any item with the “Free Shipping” message that is fulfilled by Amazon is eligible to contribute to your order minimum. Add these items to your wishlist often, then when your total reaches $25+, head on over to check out. If you keep a Wish List or an Alexa Shopping List, this should be easy to track. Can’t seem to find eligible items? Add in “free shipping” at the end of your search term or filter your search on the sidebar to find qualifying items.

2. Pre-order.

Want to hear a sneaky trick to get your order up to $25+? Preorder everything. Amazon takes certain preorders (like upcoming books and movies!) into consideration when you add them to cart…however, they don’t charge your card for the preordered item until it ships. You get that item you really want later and you get free shipping on the items in your cart now.

3. Subscribe and save.

Think of the things you need to replace on a regular basis. I’m talking about hair products, makeup, diapers, and toilet paper. You usually pick these things up on your Sunday grocery run, sure—but you might be able to save more when you shop them on Amazon. Set up a Subscribe and Save for every product you need on a regular basis. Amazon will deliver them every two months, three months, or so. You choose your schedule—and they always ship for free!

4. Check the Marketplace.

Small, lightweight items like eyeliner, paperback books, or socks often ship for next to nothing when you shop the Amazon Marketplace. If an item is available in the marketplace, prices will show just below the Amazon price as ‘Other Sellers’. Never just take Amazon’s first price as the final say on what’s a good deal—sometimes you’ll find better value (and even free shipping!) when you shop ‘Other Sellers’

How To Get Free Shipping on Amazon With Prime

Last but not least, the easiest way to get free shipping on Amazon is through a Prime account. For students, it’s a no-brainer—Prime memberships are only $59 per year. For everyone else, it’s $119—but well worth it if you’re planning to buy a lot of items on Amazon. Don’t want to commit to the year? You can always sign up for Amazon’s month-to-month Prime membership through the holiday season ($12.99 per month with free cancellation)!

What’s Purcado?

While Amazon is arguably the most popular retailer online, it’s not the only retailer on the Internet with awesome deals. Choose to compare prices on your next purchase and see the difference—you might find it’s cheaper to shop sites other than Amazon…especially for shoes!

Purcado can help you find the best price on shoes—every time. Our shoe search engine is the easiest way to compare prices on thousands of shoe brands from over 100+ retailers in seconds. Search for the shoe you want on Purcado and we’ll tell you which retailer has it in stock at the absolute lowest price. What’s not to love? Try Purcado today and see what it’s really like to save!

By now, you’ve likely heard about the Supreme Court’s ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.—especially if you own or operate a business. If you’re unsure of what I’m talking about, let me break it down for you.

On June 21, 2018, the Supreme Court of United States ruled in a 5-4 decision in favor of South Dakota in a case dealing with online retailers and how they handle the collection of sales tax. Within this decision, the Supreme Court stated that online retailers can indeed be required to collect state sales taxes from consumers even if they have no physical presence within in the state.

Wait…online retailers weren’t collecting sales tax?

It’s a little more complicated than that. Online retailers were collecting sales tax in the states where they had a physical presence—like an office, warehouse, employee, or distribution center—but not in others. Why? Because in 1992, the Supreme Court decision in Quill Corporation v. North Dakota effectively prevented states from having to collect sales tax from retail purchases made out-of-state unless the seller had a physical presence in the state where the purchase was made. Quill Corporation v. North Dakota set a precedent moving forward—unless your corporation or business was physically located in the state where your sales were being made, you did not need to collect sales tax in that state.

Why South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. Overturned The Precedent

Quill Corporation v. North Dakota was decided in 1992 long before the new age of the Internet and e-commerce. In the fourth quarter of 2017, e-commerce accounted for 9.1 percent of total retail sales in the United States, which was almost double the percent from seven years earlier in 2010. Online shopping and Internet sales are on a much larger scale than the court in 1992 ever dreamed they could be—so, in a way, the decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. was a much-needed clarification of how to collect taxes in the new age of online sales.

Purcado & South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.: How Affiliate Marketers Will Be Affected By This Decision

Purcado is an affiliate marketer. We partner with 100+ retailers to bring our users the best price on the web—and we do so via affiliate marketing. Much like Amazon is an avenue for third-party sellers to reach an audience or a blogger is a platform for reaching a specific niche, Purcado is simply a publisher that directs consumers to specific products. We aggregate products from a vast number of retail sites and present them to consumers in a more appealing way. In our case, we aggregate by price so customers can easily compare prices among different retailers. However, we do not partake in direct sales of the products; our site simply refers customers to a retailer to purchase.

So, will this decision affect us and other affiliate marketers? Yes, in a big way.

Brief History of Affiliate Marketing & Nexus Laws

Ten years ago, in 2008, states began to challenge the decision in Quill Corporation v. North Dakota. Saying that affiliate marketers (bloggers, aggregators, and online influencers that refer consumers to specific retail sites) had a connection to corporations, states argued that by having an affiliate in a state meant a business had nexus in the state.

Increasingly, states began to pass Click-through Nexus laws. In basic terms, these laws say that online retailers who work with online affiliates residing in states where they receive revenue have nexus in those states. Why? Because the online affiliate creates a physical presence. Thus, the online retailer is required to collect taxes in those states.

Click-through Nexus laws affected potential affiliate partners by limiting the growth of their affiliate marketing networks. Why? Because not all states passed Click-through Nexus laws—and corporations outside of Nexus states did not want to work with affiliates in Nexus states because they would then be subject to sales tax collection where they would otherwise be deemed excusable.

Click-through Nexus & South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.

After the decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., Click-through Nexus laws will likely be enacted in all states that have a set sales tax or Congress will move to enact a piece of legislation that clarifies when and how to collect sales tax. In other words, economic nexus could soon be the new norm.

For affiliates, bloggers, and influencers, this is good news. At Purcado, we use affiliate marketing tactics to aggregate content from multiple retailers. In order to better our service for our users, we need a plethora of online retailers to work with us. Previously, being from a Nexus state barred Purcado from working with some retailers—and kept our service from including a few key players. Now, after the South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. decision, Purcado has the chance to reach out to these retailers again and will likely be more successful in forming partnerships with them. All in all, this decision will help our Internet startup (and others like us) to be more successful in creating the service our users want to see.

“The South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. ruling should help level the playing field and remove the obstacles preventing us from working with all retailers. Any company or blog working within the affiliate marketing space should be able to take advantage.”

Jeff Caudill, Founder of Purcado, Inc.

“The South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. ruling is extremely beneficial to Purcado,” says Purcado CEO, Jeff Caudill. “During our company’s first few years, we have struggled in getting certain retailers to agree to work with us due to Purcado being located within a Nexus state. This ruling should help level the playing field and remove the obstacles preventing us from working with all retailers. Any company or blog working within the affiliate marketing space should be able to take advantage of the new laws.”

How South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. Will Affect Others

Now that the physical presence standard is null, states can legally collect sales tax revenue from any online retailer that has transactions run through their state—even if their business is not physically present in the state. While some states have specific legislation that gives more detail on what types of businesses need to pay their taxes, others do not. As we mentioned earlier, individual states or Congress will likely move to enact a piece of legislation that clarifies the issue. Until then, here is what we know about how the decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. will affect you—based on the size of your business.

Large E-Commerce Brands

Did you know that, as a consumer, you already pay sales tax when you purchase online from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, or Target? Large online retailers—like Amazon and Walmart—likely won’t be affected by this decision because they already had a physical presence in most states. Amazon, for example, has 140 fulfillment centers scattered across the United States—which means they had a physical presence in almost all states that collect sales tax and were required to collect the sales tax long before this ruling came down from the Supreme Court.  

Small E-Commerce Sites & Etsy Shops

Small online retailers, however, will see significant changes in how they collect and file taxes. If Congress doesn’t step up to clarify the ruling from South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., it could be a confusing time for smaller e-commerce sites and Etsy shop owners. State law makes it clear in South Dakota—if your business sells more than $100,000 or has 200+ separate transactions for the delivery of goods into the state, then your business must collect sales tax from your customers. However, many other states have not yet passed laws to clarify this issue. For small retailers, it may be a waiting game to determine the best practice for collecting and filing sales tax. Unlike large corporations which can invest in resources to keep up with tax obligations across states, it’s a much bigger challenge for small companies because they are likely unfamiliar with how to operate in multiple markets. Future state and federal legislation on the issue will help to protect small business owners with an online presence.

Internet Start-Ups

Most internet startups will not be affected unless they plan to incorporate an e-commerce aspect into their website or startup idea. E-commerce startups will need to stay current on tax laws across state lines. Research and compliance with all state tax laws and codes for the states with which they do business will be required moving forward.

Bloggers & Affiliate Marketers

As we mentioned before, bloggers and affiliate marketers (or individuals who promote products for specific retailers via affiliate marketing channels) may have already begun experiencing changes in state tax law to include online sales in the form of Click-through Nexus legislation.

While bloggers and affiliate marketers are not liable for collecting and filing sale taxes in any business capacity (that’s up to the remote sellers and retailers they partner with), they may actually experience positive effects from the decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. Now, the playing field has been leveled and retailers who previously refused to work with affiliates in certain Nexus states can do so without the fear of additional taxation.

Brick & Mortar Stores

Brick and mortar stores should be rejoicing over the decision. The decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. is likely to put local businesses—especially brick and mortar storefronts—on a more level playing field with online retailers, as sales tax will now be collected on all in-store and online purchases.

States

States are especially going to benefit from the decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. In 2017, states could have collected anywhere from $8 billion to $13 billion in sales tax from remote, online sellers—but lost out due to the 25-year-old court opinion in Quill Corporation v. North Dakota. Now, states will have the opportunity to collect sales tax revenue from online businesses moving forward.

How to Find Out More About The Nexus Decision

Whether you’re a small e-commerce site, an Etsy shop, an affiliate, or a blogger, you should contact your local tax or legal expert to ensure you are in compliance with all relevant state tax provisions moving forward. As legislation continues to pass in various states, make sure you stay up to date on the latest news to ensure you are properly following code.

To learn more about the Nexus decision, read The New York Times’ full write up, view Commission Junction’s guide to Click-through Nexus laws, or contact your local tax or legal expert.

Originally published on Purcado.