It’s no secret that online shopping is booming this holiday season, according to eMarketer, a research company that provides insights related to commerce and marketing in the digital world.
From November 1 to December 31, when nearly a quarter of annual online buying happens, eMarketer predicts:
- $986 billion total spent on holiday sales
- $123 billion spent online
- Online percentage of total sales: 12.5%
- Online holiday sales growth (vs. 2017): 16.2%
While Christmas is swiftly approaching, I know plenty of you are still doing your shopping!
Spending any money, but especially the amounts we do in the holidays for our loved ones calls for some extra effort on our side for protection. Here are some tips when shopping this season:
Online:
Make sure you know you can trust the website you’re shopping with. Be sure to look for that “lock” symbol at the left of the web address of whatever site you’re at to know it’s a trusted site.
Be wary of websites that ask for excessive information. Your social isn’t needed to make an account with any retail business.
Also, only use your credit card for your holiday purchases! This way no one can hack into your bank account or virtually steal your debit card. Credit cards are much easier to fix when they have been lost or stolen.
“Porch Pirates”:
It’s that time of year. The time when some people think an item delivered to your door (or front porch) means it hasn’t been claimed.
Thank goodness for tracking, right?! But who is usually actually home when their mail arrives?
The United States Postal Service offers a program called Informed Delivery, which allows customers to digitally preview mail and manage packages scheduled to arrive at your home. The program allows you to provide delivery instructions, manage notifications and scheduled redelivery, according to USPS’s website.
Both UPS and USPS both allow you to leave alternative drop-off locations, such as “side door”, or perhaps “behind trashcan”, that won’t be as obvious as the front porch.
Sometimes, your workplace may allow you to receive your more precious deliveries there so that you don’t have to worry about missing packages. Not all places will allow this, but why not ask!
If you’re ordering from Amazon, see if your purchase qualifies for an Amazon Locker –we have some located in Montgomery on Taylor Road.
While your shopping:
Be sure this time of year you keep your doors locked and anything you may have in the car, covered or completely out of sight. If you drive a hatchback be sure to have a cover for your trunk area. And before you leave to shop, make sure your doors are locked and the alarm is set.
