The National Retail Federation predicts that consumers will spend just under $1,000 during the 2020 holiday season on friends and loved ones. This amount is slightly less than what was spent during the 2019 holiday season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most consumers are expected to do some or all of their holiday shopping online.
The usual rush and crush of holiday crowds are expected to be greatly reduced due to social distancing advice. Some shoppers may have a smaller holiday budget, as many people continue to look for work, including applying for part-time holiday jobs.
Much of the 2020 holiday gift shopping will more than likely involve searching for online shopping, and as the Better Business Bureau reported recently, so will the prevalence of online purchase scams. Online purchase scams ranked among the top three riskiest scams for the last three years, according to the 2019 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report.
Experts predict at least a 35 percent increase in e-commerce sales. This allowed retailers to enhance online offerings much earlier than the traditional Black Friday deals. For consumers, this also means more reading, researching and checking on both the products and the sellers.
BBB recommends the following tips to Shop Safe, Shop Smart this holiday season:
– Research before you buy. Out of the 57 percent who did not research the website or business via an independent source before making a purchase, 81 percent lost money.
– If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Among people who made a purchase and lost money to a scammer as a result, the top motivating factor was price. Don’t shop based on price alone.
– Beware of fake websites: Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, research the age of the domain, search for contact information and read online reviews.
– Professional photos do not mean it’s a real offer. Respondents reported that website photos motivated them to engage with scammers, especially for pets and pet supplies, clothing, accessories and vehicles.
– Make sure the website is secure. Look for the “https” in the URL (the extra s is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “http”—it is not secure.
– Be careful purchasing sought-after products, especially during the holiday season. The risk of online purchase scams rises during the holidays because more people are making online purchases, and scammers offer the most popular products for the season at great prices.
– Beware of making quick purchases while scrolling through social media. Scammers have access to tools that give them information about your buying behaviors, allowing them to offer exactly what you want at enticingly low prices.
– Look for the BBB seal. BBB Accredited Businesses pledge to uphold the BBB Standards for Trust and to deal fairly with consumers. If a business displays a BBB seal, verify it by going to bbb.org.
– Use secure and traceable transactions and payment methods. According to BBB’s research, those who paid with a credit card were less likely to lose money. Be cautious when paying by digital wallet apps, prepaid money cards or other non-traditional payment methods.
– Shipment tracking information can be faked. Look closely to make sure it is a legitimate business. Avoid clicking on the tracking link; go to the shipper’s website and type in the code to see if it is real.
– Report unsatisfactory purchase experiences to BBB. If you are unhappy with a purchase, file a complaint at bbb.org/complaints.
– If you never got what you paid for, consider reporting it to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) to help other consumers avoid being scammed.
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Read more online shopping tips from the BBB at bbb.org/holiday-tips.
