After U.S. Thanksgiving, the Holiday shopping season kicks off with Black Friday. The day has become renowned for it’s massive shopping bargains south of the border. While more Canadian retailers are offering ‘Black Friday Sales’, ,many still head south for deals.
Today has become known as Cyber Monday as people head back to work and their computers and retailers offer great online sales to continue to seek out our shopping dollars. A way that each of us, on either side of the border can take part in the festive shopping frenzy.
Here’s a few tips to have a successful (and safe) Cyber Monday.
1. Make a list, and (no pun intended) check it twice. Do some research to narrow down your wish list and know what shops offer your items and which ones offer the better value, not just the item price but also the shipping & handling and refund & return policy. Comparison sites like Google Shopping helps create lists and compare products.
2. Read retailer and product reviews on sites like epinions.com or the Better Business Bureau to listen to what other shoppers are saying so you have confidence in your purchase.
3. Update your anti-virus software, with millions of dollars being spent on Cyber Monday, it’s a very busy (and tempting) day for hackers and spammers too.
4. Ensure you only enter financial information into secure websites, look for the URLs with https or a lock in the icon in the status bar. While these are no guarantee of foolproof security it’s a safer bet.
5. Keep a record of your purchases, email confirmations and receipts as back up and check your credit card statement carefully.
6. For added safety, keep a credit card just for online shopping. It’s even better if it has a lower credit limit, just in case your information does slip out of your hands.
7. Look for coupons and discount codes on the retailer or product manufacturers websites or Facebook.
8. Use caution with your smartphone shopping apps, you may inadvertently be sending other personal and location data.
9. Resist the desire to impulse shop. Beware of “Hourly Special” deals, they’re designed to entice you to feel like you ‘must have’ the bargain.
10. Hit the shops. Yes, this is Cyber Monday but stores are still open and want your business. Take your list in store and you may even be able to price match or better
Happy Shopping!