5 ways to shop smartly online this Christmas.
I can’t be the only one who gets over excited about Christmas and keeps spotting little extras to add to peoples presents, so I often go completely over my limit without even meaning to or realising it. I am also not one for heading out to the shops any more, I used to love it, the lights, the sounds and smells would really show that Christmas is in the air. But my body just isn’t willing any more so I shop online and get everything delivered either straight to my own door or to the recipient.
But it’s worth remembering a few things when you are busy shopping online this year including:
1. Make sure your connection is secure.
When your off shopping on different websites and head for the payment page check there are a couple of different ways to check your connection is secure, first is that it includes https:// in the web address rather than https://. The second is with a lock image, either by the web-address or in a bottom corner, you can normally then click (or double click) on this icon and view all the safety information for that website.
2. Be wary of selling pages.
I’m not saying don’t use selling pages, I am sure most of us have grabbed a bargain or two from them over the years, but you do need to careful, especially when it comes to money changing hands.
If you are going to pick up an electrical item sure you can ask to see it working and if someone is posting items to you, paying goods via PayPal makes sure your covered should the item not arrive. Just remember you should never pay for goods by friends and family as that offers you no protection what so ever.
3. Shop around.
Whatever you are buying then it is well worth shopping around for the best deal possible. Take for instance if you find a great deal on something which is listed on a number catalogue website, then head over to creditcatalogues and have a look through to see what type of account would suit you best, as well as save you the most in the long run.
4. Coupons and Vouchers are your BFF.
At this time of year all the companies are vying for your business and as such special offers and discounts are everywhere. So remember to not only check well known voucher websites, but to follow your favourite business on social media and sign up to newsletters to be the first to hear about great offers and flash sales.
Sometimes you also find if you put things in your basket and click away from the website, while signed into your account within the next 24 hours the website will send you a reminder you haven’t checked out, along with a nice discount code to tempt you more.
5. Use a credit card.
OK, ok please don’t look at me with your mouth open, there is a very good reason for this. Most credit card companies offer protection on purchases over a certain amount (I know on mine it’s £100), whereas debit cards often don’t.
So if you can’t pay via PayPal, I would 100% suggest allowing yourself this back up, should the worst happen, after all you can always pay the credit card straight off and sometimes you get cashback on purchases as well. So used wisely it can really work in your favour.
So that is five tips from me, but what about, what is your best shopping online smartly tip?
Great tips!! I love finding a good promotion code!
Some really helpful tips there!
Great tips! I only shop from reputable online stores.I enjoy shopping online as it is convenient and the packages are shipped directly to my house.
Great tips, I don’t shop online without a discount code or voucher. Even if it’s £1 off every little helps. It’s great being a student too as some stores up their discount around Black Friday so I get everything early.
These tips are very helpful, thank you. Online vouchers and coupons are always a necessity when I shop online.
I always shop around to get the best deals. I don’ trust myself with a credit card though
I can understand that, they aren’t for everyone 🙂 x
With many purchases via paypal, you can get Google Protection which is totally free up to like $1,000. I don’t do credit cards!
Check reviews for products and companies you are thinking of buying from to get feedback for any potential problems you might encounter ordering from them .
This is most definitely a great tip, I’ve taken to making sure I check the bad as well as the good (even if the good is a huge number more) just in case. x
Great tips, I do use selling pages to buy and sell though and can’t recommend it highly enough! I’d never but electrical items but toys and games are brilliant!
What amazing advice – Thanks for sharing 🙂
Great tips – I need all the help I can get this time of year! Kaz x
Thanks for sharing these useful tips at this expensive time of year.
Great article and tips!
i agree paypal is great. I sold an item on ebay earlier this year and the person who bought it used someone elses identity but paypal honoured the payment to me.
Great tips! Love a good voucher 😀
Jabeen x
All great advice which is invaluable
Great tips , thankyou. This time of year shopping can be stressful, even on line if like me you often have to make your budget stretch to get it all done and I bet most of us have got people who we find very difficult to buy for but I would like to urge everyone to be extra vigilant for potential pitfalls and shopping scams especially when coming across sites you haven’t used before . Be sure to read the terms and condition , free trials where you have to sign up with your card details to get something free for a while and then remember to cancel by a certain date well these can cost you dearly. . I know!, just before Christmas 2013 I signed up for a free beauty trial of some new miracle face cream,which was endorsed bt various famous people, you just had to pay £3 for postage. So I got my cream which antagonised my skin anyway so I had to bin it and thought no more about it until looking at my bank statement half way through january I discovered two payments had been taken out on my card for £180 each time. They had saved and reused my card details that they had got from me to pay for the postage for the so called trial. When I complained they pointed to very tiny print which said terms and conditions, which you were expected to click and then go through the lengthy T&C’s which told you, that you had to return the trial cream to the company within 2 weeks unused or you would be automatically be charged the £180 to pay for them and then they would charge you another £180 2 weeks after that and then ongoing every fortnight until you wrote to them and cancelled the subscription. There was no mention of any of this on the actual order form or description of the trial and when I tried to take it further found out they were exploiting a legal loophole so there was nothing I could do about it.
I think I remember this happened (not to you exactly) but I remember it happening to a lot of people around that time, they were so sneaky in the wording it was evening tripping up some of the most web-savvy people I know! x
I usually use paypal and feel pretty confident when I do it that way.
I really should start shopping more savvy and saving. Great tips, thank you for sharing x
I completely agree about using a credit card. Its a lot safer than a debit card anyway xxx
Great tips here. I always use Paypal when shopping online. Don’t take chances these days.
Good tips, as long as you make sure that you pay off the credit card bill every month so that you don’t get charged any interest!
I have been doing a bit of shopping online the past few weeks. I’m almost done, and I think it’s so much easier than going to all the stores! Really great tips!
These are all great tips. And they’re especially important with so many people shopping online for the holidays now.
Great tips, but I love site like TopCashBack do all your xmas shopping as usual but get cash back. It’s great for the January sales!