Nov 26, 2007 4:23 pm US/Eastern
Shopping Safely Online For The Holidays
Call the Attorney General's toll-free hotline at 1-800-441-2555 for help resolving On-Line Shopping complaints
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
If heading to a crowded shopping mall is something you dread this time of year, you might be thinking about doing some of your holiday shopping online.
Hoping to forego the bustle of Black Friday and the weeks leading up to Christmas, more and more people are logging on to search for the perfect gift. In fact, the Monday after Thanksgiving has become known as Cyber Monday.
While today may not necessarily be the busiest day for cyber retailers, Cyber Monday has become the traditional start to the holiday shopping season on the Internet.
Over the next two weeks or so, online shoppers will likely find some great deals – from free shipping to deep discounts.
While some websites like
CyberMonday.com highlight some of the savings you can find, your best advice to grabbing the greatest deals is to
shop around. If you know exactly what you're looking for -- do a simple search using Google or another search engine. In a few minutes, you'll be able to find the best price – without having to hunt for a parking spot (or spend gas money)!
Other websites, like
PriceGrabber.com will help comparison shoppers find the best price on an item at 11,000 e-tailers!
Cracking the Code To Online Bargains:One of the best ways to save – that even the most cyber-savvy shoppers may not know about -- is to search for online coupon codes. Remember: just because you don't see a discount – doesn't mean one doesn't exist.
There are a host of websites -- from
CouponCabin.com to
CurrentCodes.com – devoted to listing these online coupons or promotional codes which could save you on everything from shipping costs to discounts on your order. Before you check out, do a quick search for the store and "coupon codes." Chances are pretty good that you'll find the keys to save!
To make sure your cyber shopping experience pays off in the long run, it's also important to look closely at the
return policies, restocking fees and shipping costs to make sure your online purchase is worth the risk if you need to send it back. If you're shopping at the website of a local store -- check to see if you can return it to the store if needed to avoid any cost or hassle.
Also, just as you wouldn't leave the store without a receipt – make sure you
print out a record of your online transaction; doing so can save you potential problems down the road.
Another key tip to making sure your online shopping experience is a safe one is to
know who you're dealing with. If you're thinking about buying something from a site you've never visited – check the
Better Business Bureau to make sure the site is in good standing.
These days, just about anyone can set up a website – so it's important to protect your private information. One way to do that is to
make sure you're on a secure site before you type in your credit card number. You can tell it's safe by looking at the web address. Just before the "www." you'll see an HTTP. Before you give your account information, make sure you see an "S" either before or after the "Http." It should look like "
shttp://www" or "
https://www." Think of the "S" as being Safe!
Now even though you may take all these precautions, you could still run into some trouble. If you do, your best advice is to file an online complaint with the
Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
For more help resolving online shopping complaints, call the AG's toll-free hotline at 1-800-441-2555.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Cracking The Codes To Online Bargains (Finding Coupons & Promotional Codes)
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