Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales | Online Shopping Safety Tips

Well, as we all know Black Friday and Cyber Monday are right around the corner... the two days that the retail giants have decided to run the "biggest" and the "best" sales... However, have you ever noticed that the stores will run better sales after these dates, and even have more items in stock later on? Holiday sales events are carefully orchestrated by retailers to make shoppers think they "have" to go shopping on these days. Although it is true only some stores provide their best deals on these days, major chains usually run sales all through the holidays, and even for some time after to get rid of left over stock.

Online retailers, however, usually provide great deals all year round as most sites have very low overhead without having a storefront and trying to get people to come to them... by having a website, they come to you at the click of a button. So, you may not see the insane deals you would at the store but not having to put up with the hassle of crazy people, traffic, stress, taxes (a lot of sites don't apply tax to your purchase unless you are located in the same state). But what about shipping, not be able to "see" the product, and returns? A lot of online retailers offer free or low cost flat rate shipping to be able to compete with the stores in that manner. Most websites now offer detailed descriptions, alternate views, and sizing information on their merchandise. As far as returns go, always locate and read a web store's return policy BEFORE placing an order, it can save you a lot of hassle later on.

Here are some safety tips for shopping online:

1. LEGITIMATE BUSINESS:  Make sure the website is legitimate. Locate their contact information and location. If you cannot find this on their site and confirm the address through Google Maps, Mapquest, or White Pages, I would not purchase from them.
2. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU:  Check to see if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau or have any complaints published through the BBB. The BBB is usually a good representation of the business's practices and how they handle complaints. If their web store is not listed with the BBB or you can't find it, search by their local contact information as they may have a local store which is listed with the BBB.
3. RETURNS & EXCHANGES: Find out where they ship the product from, costs, shipping options and return policy - some sites charge rediculous re-stocking fees (up to 20% of your purchase) plus the cost to ship the item to you; while other sites may only deduct a fee if you make a flat return instead of exchanging an item... Read all shipping and return policies very carefully before ordering. If you can't find this information on their website don't purchase from them.
4. SECURITY:  Is the site secure? Generally most online retailers post their security certificate information, however you can also check a site's security in your address bar. Secure pages will generally be labeled with "https://" in the beginning, the "s" means that the site or the page of the site you are on  is secure. For most sites, only the check out pages are secure as it is difficult and costly to secure the entire site.
5. PAYMENT TYPES: Generally, payment types taken don't ultimately tell whether a site is reliable or not. However be careful when considering the payment type, and how legitimate the site seems. It is actually just as safe (if not safer) to purchase online than it is in a local store. The reason fradulent purchase are made online is because you don't need the card in your hand to make the purchase, just the numbers. Reputable online retailers have a credit card verification process to proctect themselves and the customer. This helps deter online fraud.  The best thing you can do is make sure your credit card company has your most up to date billing information.
6. ITEM IS IN STOCK:  Need to make sure you will get the gift in time? Online stock levels are not always 100% accurate, it is best to call the retailer directly to order if you have waited until the last minute to purchase that special gift. Although some online stores have call centers, you may be able to get through to someone who can confirm whether the item is in stock or not.

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