Holiday Shopping Online

Sarah Barnes - 01:08pm Nov 15, 2004 EST

Holiday Shopping on the Web Can Save Seniors Stress,Time and Money

By Kathryn Kowalski
WVSeniors Student Columnist
KKowalsk@mail.wvseniors.org

MORGANTOWN, W.V.a. - The holiday months are quickly approaching and as the season returns, warm memories of holiday dinners and exciting family gatherings flood back into our minds.  Unfortunately, for seniors, the holiday season can be stressful too, by trying to tackle that ever-growing gift list.

Holiday shopping has always been a daunting task but anxiety over crowded malls and treacherous driving can increase with age.  Often it becomes easier to simply give a festive card with a check or a few bills tucked inside, but this convenience lacks the personal touch of a gift from the heart. 

This year, why not remove the stress of holiday shopping by delving into user friendly world of online shopping.

"Online shopping" is a phrase that may raise as much fear and uncertainty as shopping out in the “real world.”  With the number of identity theft cases growing each day many seniors, are reluctant to give a credit card number to someone they can’t even see. While the reluctance is understood, protecting yourself from identity theft is actually, quite easy! 

The American Bar Associate has created a website, safeshopping.org, in order to help consumers navigate the unfamiliar waters and find legitimate shopping sites.

Your first line of defense is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology used to encrypt credit card and personal information.  Any legitimate website should inform you that they have this technology in place, but the best way to double check this information is to look at the web address when you get to the shopping cart.  A “normal” web address begins with “http:” but a website that SSL technology will start with “https:” instead.  There may also be a padlock or a key icon at the bottom of your web browser window that lets you know the site is safe.

The next step in ensuring the security of your transaction is to create a personal password. The American Bar Association suggests making password that is both unique and meaningful to you.  The best passwords are at least five characters long and not only include letters but numbers and punctuation too. Never give passwords or credit card numbers over regular email exchanges, reserve this for secured sites only.

Keep in mind that personal information such as your social security number, date of birth, or mother’s maiden name should not be required for an online purchase.  If you are contacted asking for this information be sure to contact the company immediately via phone to be sure the request is authentic.

If you are still uncomfortable giving out your credit card number, many companies offer toll-free telephone numbers to place an order.  When choosing this method be sure to keep track of who you speak with, what time and day the order was placed and the phone number of the company. 

Just as you scrutinize businesses in the “real world” check to be sure that you are buying for a reliable source.  Many of the major Fortune 500 companies that have regular stores also have web stores.  The better Business Bureau (BBBOnline.org) can also help to check the background of companies. When using an online auction site such as EBay, make sure your seller is experienced with an adequate amount of positive feedback. 

The previously mentioned auction site EBay (Ebay.com) can be a goldmine for finding gifts for the inevitable “hard to shop for” relatives.  There is also an amazing selection of vintage and “pre-loved” items. 

Many online stores offer free or reduced shipping during the holiday season.  Amazon.com offers free shipping year round on certain products over $25.00.

Even if you do not plan to complete your holiday over the internet, there are still many useful resources.  Comparison sites such as bizrate.com allow consumers to compare multiple prices and products at once.  Instead of wasting time in traffic and money on gas driving from store to store, one click allows comparison shopping. 

Remember, shopping online should decrease the stress of holiday shopping, not increase it.  Consider going through a “trail run” before you dig into serious gift shopping.  Purchase a small item so that you can get the feel of how the process works, this way if you are disappointed or unsatisfied there is still time to learn from mistakes or take a different route all together.