One of the busiest shopping weekends of the year is coming up.
Black Friday falls on Nov. 24, followed quickly by Cyber Monday. And Canadians from coast to coast will be trying to cut the best deals possible in the run-up to Christmas Day, with the average Canuck spending around $1,500 over the holidays, according to a press release from the Better Business Bureau for mainland B.C.
“This is a time to be wary about how and where you spend your money,” said BBB’s Evan Kelly. “Shop around. Just because a store says it’s the best deal all year doesn’t mean it is.
“You may even want to ask yourself if you really need the item. Be careful of the impulse buy.”
BBB offers these tips to help you make the right purchase:
Black Friday
• Check the ads, check the competition, check the flyers both online and what shows up at the door. Find the best deal on the specific product you’re looking for. In short, do your homework.
• Signing up for email alerts means you might be in the know before other shoppers, just make sure you’ve signed up on a legit website.
• Monitor social media feeds for good deals but be wary of click-bait ads. If the product is too cheap, it’s too good to be true.
• Make sure you understand return/refund policies. If it’s not posted, ask. This information should be available online as well. Some deeply discounted or discontinued items could be final sale only.
• Make sure you understand any and all warranties on new products. Typically, it’s just manufacturer’s warranty for appliances.
Cyber Monday
• Buy using credit cards.
• Make sure website is encrypted with “https://” in the URL.
• Make sure the URL is legit and not a spoofed version (e.g., www.ebay.com and not www.ebay1.ml).
• Use reputable payment portals like PayPal or Verified by Visa.
• Read terms and conditions when it comes to delivery and refunds.
• Order on time so gifts arrive before Christmas.
• Do not online shop through public WiFi.
• Avoid clicking links if you don’t know where they’re from.
• Be wary of slick pop-up ads; go to the company’s site first.
• Update your anti-virus software.
• Check your credit card statements regularly.
