The Frugal Bostonian

A few days ago, I liked some shoes at Sears, but I thought I might find them cheaper online.  I searched around for the style, and ended up finding them at Sears.com for less than they cost in the store.  Sears has in-store pickup, so I ordered the shoes online and picked them up when I was at the mall (the website lets you decide where to pick stuff up, and lets you know whether it is available).  I saved money and earned frequent flyer points!

Here’s what I did:  I went to my frequent flyer accounts (I have continental and american) and went through the link to online partners.  Both linked to Sears, and offered 2 miles for each dollar spent.  I typed in my frequent flyer number (I picked the carrier where I am closest to getting a free ticket) and made the purchase through the airline link, so I will get mileage for the purchase.  And, the Sears website was also offering an additional 10% off, so the price was further reduced.

About 30 minutes after placing the order, I got an email from Sears alerting me that the order was ready.  I printed the email and went to Sears.  There is a kiosk in the back (in the Sears I visited, the kiosk was behind the optical shop and photo studio), and once I started using the kiosk (it scans the bar code on the email printout), someone emerged from the back and helped finish the order.  I had to swipe the credit card I used online, and the saleperson checked my identification.  I was handed the shoes less than 2 minutes after I got to the kiosk.  They were in a bag with a receipt (just like a regular purchase). 

When I first saw the shoes in Sears, they were $50 (on sale from $70).  I ordered them online for $35, and after Sears took another discount, they were $31.50.  After I picked up the order, I went to the shoe department where they were selling for $35.  I saved $3.50 just by ordering online, and I got 63 frequent flyer miles (not alot, but they add up, and it keeps my account active - imagine if you are buying large appliances, that’s alot of mileage).  If you have a credit card that offers mileage points, you’ll get even more frequent flyer points.

If you have the time, it is almost always worth it to check online before buying something - you might be able to pay less, get frequent flyer points, or find it elsewhere for less.  In-store pickup eliminates shipping fees and allows you to avoid dealing with delivery. 

I have also used BestBuy online with the in-store pickup, and have used Barnes & Noble to get books I was going to buy anyway delivered (delivery is free over a certain amount).  Make sure you go through the airline website to get to the retailer, and put your frequent flyer number in.  Otherwise, you might not get the mileage.