Finding the lowest individual price for every item does not necessarily produce the lowest order total. Several small purchases can bring several freight charges and more deliveries to coordinate. Compare a split order with a combined basket before deciding which arrangement is worthwhile.
Begin with a fixed list of products. Include exact models or the specifications that make an alternative acceptable. If you change the products while comparing stores, you will struggle to tell whether the difference comes from the shopping arrangement or from buying something else. Keep essential accessories in the list so that neither option appears artificially incomplete.
Build the combined basket at a merchant that offers suitable versions of all the items. Enter the address, review delivery conditions and record the complete total. Next, build the separate orders using the same quantities. Add all delivered totals together, including any unavoidable charges. Apply only discounts that are actually accepted for those orders. A minimum-spend offer in one store cannot automatically be carried into another basket.
Then look at timing. Items bought together may still ship separately, especially when different sellers are involved. Conversely, separate orders might have different arrival windows that are easy or difficult for you to receive. Check the actual arrangement rather than assuming that one checkout means one parcel. For products that must work together, note when the last required component is expected to arrive.
Consider the follow-up work as well. A combined order may create one support record, while separate purchases need distinct order numbers and return instructions. That does not make splitting inherently bad. It simply means the saving should be assessed alongside the extra coordination. Avoid assigning a precise money value to your time unless you have a reason to do so; describing the additional work can be enough.
Imagine a hypothetical keyboard and mouse purchase. Each item is cheaper at a different store, but each store adds freight. A third store offers both at slightly higher item prices with one acceptable delivery arrangement. Compare the summed split totals with the third store's total. If the split orders still cost less, check whether both devices meet the original specification and arrive when needed.
Choose the arrangement that solves the whole purchase, not the one with the largest collection of discount labels. If you split, save a separate record for each seller and mark which products belong to each order. When parcels arrive, check them against those records so a delayed component is not mistaken for an item missing from another shipment.