If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably going to do much, if not most, of your holiday shopping online this year. Here are some tips for getting the most for your money and avoiding headaches.
Decide How You’ll Pay
In addition to using a credit or debit card, you might be able to pay for gifts using your PayPal account. Decide which payment form you’ll use in advance.
One or more of your credit cards might offer you shopper protection, such as guaranteeing a lower price or replacing a damaged item you buy with a specific card. Others offer discounts at specific retailers or cash back.
Don’t Buy the First One
No matter how great a deal you think you’re getting, it’s a good idea to search a bit before you buy an item. You might find other sellers who not only offer a lower price, but also give you free shipping, a free warranty or other perks.
Read the Reviews
You can save yourself lots of headaches by reading reviews of products you’re thinking of buying. In some cases, the reviews are right there on the shopping site, such as Amazon or Target. If the reviews appear on the seller’s own site, they probably aren’t objective.
If there are no product reviews on the site, head to Google, type in the name of the item you want to buy, and then type “reviews” to see what other people who have bought the product think.
Avoid Extended Warranties
You can often purchase an extended warranty to protect items you buy online. Read the fine print before you buy. In some cases, you’ll have to pay the shipping both ways to get something repaired.
You might have to pay for labor, or certain parts (such as the motor on a cardio machine) might not be covered. Reading reviews should tell you whether or not something you’re interested in buying is likely to break. If it is, don’t buy it.
Be Careful of Spam
When you buy online items, you might find there’s fine print or opt-in options that let retailers use or share your email address and phone number to send emails and texts. Before shopping, set up a new Gmail or other free email account that you use just for online shopping.
Enter that email address when retailers ask for your email addy and keep your main box free from extra spam. Make sure to uncheck any boxes that are default-selected to add you to a newsletter or to receive promotional emails.
Watch Out for Fake Sites
If a site doesn’t look or feel professional, avoid giving it your credit card. Back out of the site and search Google to make sure the site is legitimate. See if the product is sold elsewhere by vendors you know are safe. Never give your Social Security number or any passwords.
Avoid These Items
Some items seem tempting when you look at them online, but it’s often better to buy them locally.
•Gourmet Foods
These items generally aren’t worth the inflated prices and you can find fresher, tastier, less-expensive options locally.
•Footwear
To make sure you buy shoes that fit, try them on locally. You can then order them later online if they are much cheaper.
•Gift Baskets
Gift baskets can be great, but also expensive because of the shipping and extra profit that sellers needs to tack on. If you really want to send a gift basket, look not only at national sites, but use Google to find sellers in the city where your gift recipient lives – you’ll find cheaper options with free delivery.
Read our blog post on how to create your own fun gift baskets for any friend, family member or business associate.
Think Locally
Remember, when you shop online, you don’t pay local sales taxes (which support your schools, police departments, libraries, etc.), you don’t put that money into stimulating your local and state economies, and you don’t support local merchants who sponsor youth sports leagues, churches, women’s organizations, hospitals, etc.
Before you buy anything online, think about whether you can find it locally and within your budget.