Christmas shopping is becoming controversial
Concerns raised as retailers face challenges from online stores
The Christmas season is rushing into view replete with its good cheer, reunions, and religious observances. But before you can settle in to enjoy the festivities you’re going to have to partake in the yearly ritual of doing your Christmas shopping.
This used to be merely stressful and expensive; now, it has also become controversial. Where you do your shopping has become a heated topic as local merchants struggle to get the attention and money of an increasing number of shoppers who are venturing onto the internet to buy their gifts.
According to statistics at PWC.com (https://tinyurl.com/ y7ny79dv) an average of 63 percent of Canadian Christmas shoppers are planning to shop in a bricks and mortar store this year.
However, what could be a troubling harbinger of the future, 51 per cent of millennials aged 23 to 36, who are also the largest spenders, have indicated that they will shop online.
It’s difficult to take a firm stand on either side of the debate. Although the entreaty to “shop local” is grammatically questionable, I do agree with the value of shopping locally. Local merchants support our community and its workforce much more than a gigantic online retailer.
However, local merchants must be proactive in combating the threat of online shopping. A necessity is an efficient and informative website and a local retailer without one, or only a Facebook page, may well lose the e-commerce war. About 35 per cent of shoppers use the internet to find recommendations and deals and a local retailer should regularly peruse Google Reviews posted at Google Maps and other reviews at websites such as TripAdvisor and respond to negative reviews or comments.
The other major difference between shopping locally and on the internet is that an online shopper must pay attention to a large number of warnings, alerts, and tips.
This time of year the number of spam emails, phishing attempts, and malware infections reaches a peak (http://tinyurl.com/ hsomhhu). Never open an unexpected attachment and don’t click on links in spam messages, especially those offering goods at unbelievably low prices.
That link could take you to a fake website masquerading as a legitimate merchant, a website loaded with malware, or a site selling cheap imitations of quality brands. Manually enter the retailer’s internet address directly into the browser or search for the merchant’s official site.
Only enter your credit card details at a site that uses encryption. Secure websites always have an internet address beginning with "https" instead of the usual "http" and a closed padlock in front of the address.
For more security get a private PIN that must be entered before an online credit card transaction can be completed. The number is known only to you and the bank and the merchant never sees it. You can register online for a Mastercard SecureCode (http:// tinyurl.com/ygbqpev) or the Verified by Visa service (http:// tinyurl.com/y93u6cv) but be careful to record the PIN.
Always click on the “contact us” or “about us” link at a retail site to make sure the retailer is not shipping from outside Canada, which could involve hefty shipping, brokerage, and customs duties. I’ll only deal with an online merchant that has a presence in the real world such as a toll-free phone number in case I need service or must return something.
Shipping charges can be an online deal breaker but many large retail chains will let you order something at the company's website, but pick up the item at the local store.
According to the statistics, 11 per cent of online shoppers use this method. Another benefit is that a defective or unwanted gift can be returned to the store instead of dealing with the hassle of mailing it back.
If you’re heading out to shop locally, you can check the websites of several retailers to compare prices and often you can check a store’s inventory online to find out if a product is in stock. Many online retailers have buyer comments and ratings and ConsumerSearch (www.consumersearch.com) collects reviews of products from numerous sources, summarizes them, and provides recommendations.
Happy holiday shopping!