Online shopping traps that can darken your big day out
Online shopping’s pandemic boom will hit record levels in Black Friday sales, but shoppers can get caught – by their own or those taking advantage.
“Black Friday is a great way to save money,” MyBudget founder Tammy Barton says.
But she warns shoppers to watch out for online traps:
SCAM CENTRAL
Scammers prey on time-poor people, and KnowBe4 security awareness advocate Jacqueline Jayne says Black Friday bombards consumers with choices, prices, offers, pop-up ads and links to access deals.
“Unfortunately, many of these will be scams so pay close attention and don’t click,” she says. She recommends shopping with a third-party payment service such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay “which gives you an extra layer of protection” and to beware of delivery scams. “Always go to the official website to track parcels.”
FEELING FRENZIED
Financial planner Alison Stanbridge from dmca advisory says shopping can involve advertising tactics to exploit consumer psychology. “Don’t be pressured,” she says. “Stop and think about it. Does 20 per cent off an item really make it worth buying now?”
LACK OF A LIST
Stanbridge recommends writing out a shopping list and sticking to it. Barton also believes in making a list: “the only way to avoid impulse buying”.
PRIVACY FAILURES
Barton says websites can analyse your activity. “Use private or incognito mode,” she says. “This way stores can’t track you and increase prices on items you’ve looked at multiple times.”
IGNORING FINE PRINT
Know the full price by checking the payment terms and shipping costs.