Line-ups at the checkout, parking lot congestion, holiday traffic.
It's no surprise that some Canadians are looking for alternatives to traditional holiday shopping. A recent survey by eBay Canada and Vision Critical found that almost half of Canadians (45 per cent ) surveyed plan to shop via mobile or online for part or all of their holiday gift-buying. EBay offers the following online shopping tips:
? Pay attention to the details. Like shopping offline, it's important to read and understand the details of your potential online purchase
? Get to know the seller. Make sure to read comments from other buyers and review the seller's detailed ratings
? Select the right shipping service.
Look for shipping services that offer tracking, and be aware that if you're buying from an international seller, selecting a courier service versus a postal service may lead to brokerage fees in addition to the required duty and taxes
? Give plenty of time for your purchase to arrive. The shorter the timeframe, the smaller the geography should be between you and the location your purchase is being shipped from to ensure it arrives in time for the holidays
? Always use a secure form of payment.
? Get started soon.
