I love the fact that I can sit in my PJs and shop for Christmas gifts on my computer. You can find things online you cannot find locally and you can browse without the exhaustion of mall shopping. Here are some tips:

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  • If you shop on a mega website like Amazon, know that some items are shipped from the individual merchants. So you may have different shipping times and fees. One year I ordered a bunch of items only to find out 10 days later some were out of stock. Not good.
  • Try to order from places that offer low/free shipping costs only.
  • Group purchases together so you do not order 10 items from 10 websites. You don’t want to spend $100+ on shipping fees.
  • Read product reviews before making a purchase online. If a bunch of shoppers were disappointed in a product, you will be too. And if everyone loved it, you will too.
  • Beware of costly electronic purchases online. I’ve read horror stories. It is better to buy a TV at a store, where you can see it, touch it, and know you are getting a new one rather than rebuilt. And that there is a physical place to return it if problems arise.
  • Consider the  possibility of returns. It is hard to buy clothing as gifts, and you don’t want your gift recipient to have to pay to ship the gift back.
  • Know the return policy. I ordered something off a bike website only to later discover that there was a restocking fee. Also note the return deadline. If it is not 30+ days, don’t buy it.
  • When you are using a credit card to order online, verses cash in a store, it is easy to overspend. Print out every order receipt and make note of the total cost including taxes and shipping. It can really add up!

Have fun shopping!

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