Money
Getting the best deal
Shopping: high street or online?
Britons will spend more than £500 each over the internet this Christmas, forking out a staggering £13.6 billion online between October and December
But would you be better off on the high street? A Which? survey this month found savings of £1,053 on a shopping list of a LCD TV, camera, camcorder, hi-fi and DVD recorder, but for some items the high street was better. How do you find the best Christmas bargains - online or on foot - and stay safe?
Step one – Plan ahead. Leaving it to the last moment is not a good way to get the best festive bargains. Plus, if you find an online must-have, you have to be sure it is delivered on time. Leave extra time too if you are planning to buy over the internet from the USA to take advantage of the incredible dollar pound exchange rate. Not only will delivery take a bit longer, but your gift might also get held up in customs.
Step two – Take care. Don't take the best price offered by just anyone. It is best to use a familiar high street store or go to www.shopsafe.co.uk which only lists sites with clear delivery prices, returns policies and secure credit card transactions. Use a combination of price comparison sites such as www.pricerunner.co.uk and www.kelkoo.co.uk because they do not always list all of the key retailers. Also, check carefully that the prices quoted include delivery charges because delivery costs, often flagged at the end of a transaction, can be punitively high for some large items. Some high street stores offer installation and disposal in their offer, which is well worth taking into consideration.
Step three - Safety first. Make sure the website you are buying from is secure before you type in your card details. An easy way to do this is if its web page begins with https, instead of simply http. You might also see a padlock icon at either the top or bottom of the web page, which will reveal a digital certificate confirming the site is secure if you double click on it. Many online retailers require you to register with a service called 'verified by Visa' or 'verified by Mastercard', which aims to protect your card from unauthorised use. And, take extra, extra care when using computers other people have access to such as internet cafes or libraries and don't keep login details, passwords or pins written down.
Step four – Remember your rights. Under consumer credit law, when you pay for goods costing £100 and above, but not more than £30,000, you are entitled to claim from the card provider if something goes wrong. These rights do not apply if you use a third party payment method such as Paypal.
* Written by Teena Lyons. Teena's views are personal and for general information only. Always seek independent financial advice.
