Online Shopping The Do's and Don'ts

[Gifter]

The dos and don’ts of online shopping
The newest studies from Forster reports tell us that online shopping will increase to 16 billion next year in Canada and over 600 billion in North America by 2010.
Let’s talk about your thoughts on ordering online. Did you try shopping online? How did it go? How was the service? Did you get what you ordered and was it what you expected?
Was the site a Canadian site or a USA site?
I would love to hear about anything you have to say on this. Good or bad.
Talk soon
Gifter

[bamb00]

Briefly...

Yup I shop online all the time for the simple fact that they are usually cheaper than in store. They are especially attractive when they offer free shipping.

I've shopped both CDN and US sites, as well as ebay from both countries.

The experiences are overall excellent, the only downside is that no one has control over how long the transit time will take, other than that nothing else I can complain about. I always get what I ordered.

[nza]

DO: research, research, research.
Nothing crappier than ordering something that ends up failing your expectations.

If its a Canadian website, and its cheaper than local Retail, and if local retailer has price match, then I take it to local retailer...
If using paypal, always pay from credit card, not from the bank account.
I find that if you shop at the local retailer's online store, you might get better deals, and can often do pickup instead of pay for shipping, eg: sears.ca softmoc.com rackattack.com canadiantire.ca ncix.com futureshop.com bestbuy.com homedepot.ca (Check out their daily Hammer drop, available only online)
I do try to get parcels shipped to Blaine, then pick up. Its often cheaper than bringing it in via USPS or UPS.
Another best practices, is I tend to visit the eStores that give me better aeroplan points. =0) (or airmiles if you go that route)
Buy from stores out of province, and you can generally save on PST, but make sure to balance that with the increased shipping costs...
Check out RFD everyday.

I Tend not to buy clothes from online, unless its something made by a company I already have articles of clothing or shoes from. Something called Vanity Sizing =0).
I never buy from shady 1998-looking websites.
I don't buy stuffs that cannot be legally imported from the states. The States has a lot of ITAR regs, State Department regs, etc etc...
I Never use UPS. Always use Canada Post or USPS if you have the options
If the price is too good to be true, it is.
If you Buy Cheap, you will inevitably Buy Twice.
DO NOT RELY on accuracy of the website. CALL IN for verification if you have any questions.

[Gifter]

Shopping online is becoming more and more the direction of many shoppers . It is still very important to be sure to be comfortable with the web site you are buying from . Shipping is one of the costs many people have troble with . 6 out of 10 people leave the shopping cart when they see the costs of shipping . Have a look at Ernest and Lee Gifts and you will see the prices are shipping included . This is what alot of the older sites are now doing . One of the best things of shopping on line is finding a web site that has every thing you need in one site . If it is a Canadian site all the better , you have no exchage rate .
Watch over the next year as New canadian online stores come up . It has taken awhile but slowly we are comeing onbaord . The reports this year are 16 billion in sales online here in Canada . 600 billion in the USA
Remmeber this ! Quality is remmebered long after the price is forgoten . Shopp for Quality and not just price . You will see this years marketing is mark it up and put it on sale . If a company has every thing on 50@% off , could they stay in business . I THINK NOT!! They are making money some where . Shop wisely and have a happy holiday
Gifter