5 Online Holiday Shopping Tips That Everyone Needs to Know
Friday, December 18, 2020, 12:00 PM | Leave Comment
Shopping online during the holiday season is a great way to nab amazing deals on quality products.
From electronics and clothing to board games, puzzles, and even household furnishings, there’s an endless array of available goods and countless discounts to take advantage of.
Before you start loading up your virtual cart, however, there are five important tips to know.
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Always Read Store Policies Before Finalizing A Purchase
If you’ve never worked with a seller before, spend some time reading through this company’s store policies before completing your first purchase. This will tell you whether or not returns and exchanges are accepted, if you’ll need to pay restocking fees, and whether there are time limits for submitting a return. Buyers should always have adequate protections in place so that if their purchases ever arrive damaged, don’t fit, or don’t sufficiently match their online product descriptions, they’ve got a sure form of recourse.
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Understand the Difference Between Shipping Times and Order Processing Times
Most shopping during the holiday season is done to purchase gifts for others. Being able to get accurate reporting on shipping times can be critical, especially for anyone shopping last-minute. Keep in mind, however, that with many small to medium-sized online businesses, shipping times and order processing times can mean two vastly different things. While a company might promise two to three-day shipping, it can still take up to a week for some businesses to actually process and fulfill orders. When this is the case, the two to three days for transit will only begin once the packaged and labeled goods actually reach the shipping service. Detailed information on shipping schedules and order processing can often be found in a company’s store policies or on its checkout pages.
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Take Advantage of Single-Use Credit Cards
There are countless ways to mask and otherwise protect your credit card and banking information when doing your holiday shopping on the web. Single-use credit cards are great for buying big ticket items online, without ever compromising your most sensitive data. A single-use credit card can be issued by your bank upon request. Associated with your banking account but only valid for one use, this card will allow you to complete your purchase and move on with your life, never worrying identity theft. After your transaction is completed, the number that you’ve entered can never be used again.
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Never Use A Public Computer to Complete Your Online Purchases
Never use a public computer or any other public device to complete a purchase. Public devices are connected to public networks that may be subject to cyberattacks and that may be compromised already. Second, always make sure that you’re only sharing personal and financial information on secure, encrypted websites. The best way to do this is by looking for a lock symbol just left of the web address. Encrypted sites also have “https” at the start of their addresses rather than “http”.
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Check Out Seller Ratings When Prices Seem Too Good To Be True
Although the holiday shopping season is definitely a time when you can find unbeatable prices on well-known brands, you’re bound to stumble across a few offers that seem far too good to be true. The best way to know whether or not an online merchant is offering genuine products or low-quality knock-offs is by taking a time to check out seller ratings on several third-party platforms.
Online shopping at place like this gift shop online is a great way to save cash this holiday season. With larger inventories and lower overhead costs, web-based merchants can both give you access to a greater variety of goods and pass generous savings down. With the tips above, you can avoid data theft, low-quality knockoffs, and unfair policies concerning shipping, product exchanges, and product returns.
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