More than 129 million shoppers are expected to shop online for Cyber Monday. Chances are, you’ll be at work, or at home, in front of your computer scouring for deals. If you are, here some do’s and don’ts:
DO: Plan ahead. Make a list of gifts you intend to buy; that way, you can avoid impulse purchases and focus on getting the best deals on particular items.
DON'T: Wait for Cyber Monday for deals on tools, hardware or appliances. Dealnews.com says you’ll find the best deals on those this weekend instead.
DON’T: Plan to buy electronics or tech gadgets on Cyber Monday: you won’t find many deals.
DO: Buy clothing and shoes on Cyber Monday. Deep discounts are expected from hundreds of clothing and shoe retailers.
DO: Visit CyberMonday.com before you begin shopping. The site is promoted by the National Retail Federation and will post hourly specials and exclusives from your favorite online retailers.
DON'T: Click that "purchase” button without making sure the site you're shopping at is secure. Check the address for "https": the “s” means secure. That means the site is protecting your credit card information.
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DO: Know the return and exchange policies for any online retailer you shop. Fairfax County’s Office of Consumer Protection says know how many days you’ll have to return an item and who covers the cost of shipping just in case you need to make a return or an exchange.
Get more shopping tips from the Federal Trade Commission.
The day after Cyber Monday is now dubbed Giving Tuesday. Click here to find ways to give back during the holidays.
