7 reasons why online discounted shopping wins employee support

No-one needs to shop until they drop anymore – not when it’s possible to secure amazing deals from the comfort of their own chair with an online discounted shopping benefit.

This is a perk that needn’t just appeal to employees with a designer dress habit. The beauty of online discounted shopping is that people can save a fortune on day-to-day items that they’d be buying anyway. What’s not to like?

Here are seven reasons why discounted shopping is a jewel in the crown of any online benefit offering.

1. There’s an immediate pay-off for employees. Unlike some benefits, where they may need to pay a premium before they realise any savings (take private health insurance, for example), with online discounted shopping they start saving straight away.

2. People can enjoy savings in lots of ways – for example, by collecting reward points, buying reloadable discount cards and taking advantage of point of purchase offers. Here are just a few examples of enthusiastic users from among our very own employees here at PES.

‘I cottoned on just in time for Christmas! I bought lots of presents (aftershave from Fragrance Direct, some lovely Clarins products) and also did some Hollister Sale shopping. Some of the points I earned were doubled but in one case I got x25 points which earned me an additional £18 to spend! I also renewed my new mobile phone contract through the site and got another £25. So in summary, I’ve saved around £60 in a month by channelling the shopping I was already planning to do through happypeople online shopping.’

Another happy user said: ‘I’ve just switched to Virgin media and earned 15,000 WOWPoints (£150) on top of the deal that Virgin had (£150 Love2shop vouchers). So £300 on a £45/month contract. Not bad!’

3. Employees really engage with online shopping, especially when the benefits are well-communicated. Our statistics show that an average of 85% of users register, 45% use discounted online shopping on a monthly basis, and the average annual saving per employee is £850. The higher the salary and spending power, the greater the potential savings.

4. Online shopping includes lifestyle benefits that not only save people money, they boost wellbeing. Among the most popular offers are Cinema perks, offering up to 50% discount, and travel. As an employer, if you’re actively encouraging work/life balance, you’ll generate both productivity and enthusiasm.

5. With literally thousands of high street retailers offering great deals, there’s a bargain to be had for anyone who wants clothes, food, gifts, flowers, holidays, toys, trips to the cinema and other attractions. Whatever your employee demographic, there will be something to appeal to almost everyone, making online shopping one of the most flexible benefits around.

6. You can link your online shopping benefit to employee reward. For example, an employee of the month could receive reward points to spend however they like – a very public form of recognition, and a strong lever to re-engage people with the online shopping site.

7. If you’re a smaller business, using one of the market leading online shopping portals brings big brand benefits to your employees, making them feel really valued, at no extra cost to you.

So don’t think shopping is just for shopaholics – everyone needs to spend to live. Even the monthly grocery bill can be reduced! The more savings you can offer your employees in these cash-strapped times, the more you show them what they’re really worth – to you.