Instead of a weekend of shopping, many opt to skip waiting in line and hold off purchasing until Cyber Monday comes around.
The digital shopping experience is the Monday following Black Friday.
A survey completed by the National Retail Federation estimated about 183.8 million consumers would or might shop on Cyber Monday this year.
According to the survey, 88.7 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 90.9 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds said “yes” or “maybe” when asked if they will shop online on Cyber Monday.
Offers on Cyber Mon¬day range from free shipping specials, dollars off or free gifts with purchase.
Cathy Williamson, branch manager for the Lincoln Trail area Better Business Bureau, advises to take precaution when shopping online.
Before shopping, the BBB encourages shoppers to install a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software to protect their computers. If the software already is installed, the BBB advises checking for and installing updates and regularly running virus scans.
Williamson said to directly type in websites rather than clicking through advertisements or emails. To ensure a website is safe, Williamson said the website’s URL should begin with “https”, which stands for secured site.
Look for and click on the BBB Accredited Business seals on websites to ensure they are valid. The seal will lead to the website’s BBB business review. Reviews for websites may be found at www.bbb.org.
The BBB encourages shoppers to read a site’s privacy policy before giving personal information. If there is no privacy policy, it could be a red flag that the site could sell your information without permission.
Deals that seem too good to be true might have hidden costs or the purchase might sign shoppers up for monthly charges. The BBB advises to always read the fine print.
Williamson said it’s best to pay with a credit card. Under federal law, shoppers can dispute charges if they don’t receive an item. It’s also important to check credit card statements regularly for unauthorized purchases.
Keep documentation of your order and beware of phishing. The BBB says legitimate businesses do not send emails claiming problems with an order, account or a package to lure the buyer into revealing financial information.
If this happens, the BBB recommends calling the contact number on the website where the purchase was made to confirm a problem.
Source: NE
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