6 Holiday Shopping Tips

Shop early. Don't forget that virtually everything that you buy online will have to be shipped to your door by carriers increasingly inundated by an annual year-end online shopping explosion. Goods will take longer to arrive, and busy sellers may also take longer to ship. Make shipping arrangements carefully. Be sure that you understand in advance the method of shipping that your seller uses. Demand a tracking number since packages can more easily go astray during the holiday shopping rush. Remember, too, that “signature required” packages can't be delivered when you're not at home—and many people are at home even less than usual during the holiday season—so it may pay to make arrangements with your seller for a delivery method for which no signature is required, or to make arrangements with a neighbor to accept any packages that may arrive while you are out (be sure in such cases to put a notice on your door for the delivery person indicating that the neighbor is willing to sign for your goods). Check item sizes in advance. Because it's more difficult for a variety of reasons to return or exchange items that you bought online, it's especially important to be sure about sizing or other personal criteria related to your “giftee” before you buy. Pay careful attention, too, to sellers' descriptions of sizing—phrases like “a very large medium” or “a slightly undersized large” can provide important clues that will help you to avoid mismatching the size of your purchase to the size of the recipient. Double-check exchange policies. Because the holiday season does present lots of opportunities for items to be not-quite-right or slightly-too-big (or small), it can be a very good idea to check and double-check the exchange policies listed. Comparison shop. Don't simply assume that a given item will be cheaper online. Of course, often it will be, but during the holiday season there will be no shortage of sales and advertisements in your local area for many of the same products that can be found online. If you can save money by buying locally, it may just be worth the effort to do so during a busy and unpredictable season like the holidays. Don't wait too long to buy. At the same time that you're comparison shopping, do also keep in mind that many of the most interesting and gift-worthy items online are one-of-a-kind or are at least comparatively uncommon, and that demand for such gift-worthy items is likely to be higher during the holiday season. Janna