While Black Friday has been a huge shopping holiday for years, Cyber Monday only recently gained popularity. Although Cyber Monday is primarily a shopping day for online-only retailers, many small businesses continue their sales through Cyber Monday. This means there are nearly endless deals and sales all weekend, and the fact is some of them really are too good to be true. In order to avoid any Cyber Monday scams this year, keep the following guidelines in mind while shopping online.
Only Buy From Trusted Stores
Although nearly every online retailer participates in Cyber Monday, not all of the websites are legitimate. In the last few years, the rise of “drop shipping” has allowed anyone with the time to create a website the ability to sell products without housing any inventory. Although it has revolutionized e-comm retailers, it also means online companies can disappear overnight. When buying holiday gifts online, be sure to stick to trusted, name-brand retailers. Otherwise, you could end up paying for items that take months to arrive from overseas, if ever.
Be Careful of Coupon Sites
Even though most Cyber Monday sales offer instant savings on purchases, many online shoppers like to get the best deal possible. Unfortunately, this often results in searching for coupon codes listed on questionable sites. Although there are tons of apps and third-party tools for gathering online coupons, there are just as many scam websites. These sites will often feature excessive pop-up ads and fake links that are not associated with the company from which you wish to make a purchase. Another red flag is a coupon site asking for your login information. Ultimately, it is a wise decision to be wary of giving away your email address or login information anywhere online other than when checking out.
Try Shopping Local
If shopping online for Cyber Monday brings you too many worries, there’s always the option to shop locally instead. In Northern Colorado, plenty of local businesses honor Black Friday sales through Cyber Monday. Plus, with so many retailers located in your local community, there’s a chance you’ll find a truly unique gift.
Have more tips for avoiding online scams during holiday shopping? Let us know in the comments, or contact Points West Community Bank today for more online shopping tips!