With the holidays right around the corner, make sure you don’t end up with the short end of the stick! Online shopping is a common occurrence these days, but there are still many pitfalls to avoid to make sure your information is safe and that you can get the best deals. This handy guide will help guide you as you begin your online shopping for the holiday season.
One of the first places where people get taken advantage of might be sooner than you think! Even from the first search, make sure you’re going to reputable companies and not something trying to take advantage of the chaos of holiday shopping. When using big retailers like Amazon, Target, or Walmart make sure you’re going to their official website and not someone posing as them.
A common trick around the holiday season is when shops mark the prices WAY up on items and then “put them on sale” for their normal retail price. Make sure to shop around and compare prices. Jumping on to the first deal with the highest amount marked off could cost you in the long run.
A great way to save some money is to pick up in stores whenever possible. This will benefit you in two ways — you’ll be able to avoid fighting everyone else for the best deal and you’ll be able to save on shipping costs which are often marked up for the holidays. Picking up also helps ensure that nothing gets lost or delivered late for the holidays.
Finally, as a few extra tips when checking out: Make sure you don’t shop on a public Wi-Fi network. A public network puts you at risk of anyone else who may be connected, so be cautious when browsing for a good deal over your morning coffee. Also make sure to not save your information at check out — it can put you at risk when at the wrong sites. Even though there may be a lot of shopping to do, inputting your payment method each time is the safest way to ensure your personal information is protected.