Holiday shopping and job search do's and don’ts

Depending on who you’re listening to, Black Friday has been underway since Halloween. At any rate traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year is next Friday.

The National Retail Association says “consumers are predicted to spend just under $1,000 this holiday season on family and friends.” This amount is slightly less than what was spent during the 2019 holiday season.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most consumers are expected to do some or all of their holiday shopping online.

Retailers are taking into consideration health department guidelines to keep shoppers and employees safe while in the store. But, the usual rush and crush of holiday crowds are expected to be significantly reduced due to social distancing requirements.

Experts predict at least a 35% increase in e-commerce sales. If you spend any time online, you’ve probably noticed sale ads for almost anything you can imagine.

If you’re a person who reads the fine print great. If not it’s a habit you need to develop. If you’re buying online, you should be reading, researching, and checking on both the products and the sellers.

• The top motivating factor for people who made a purchase online then lost money was the price. Don’t shop on price alone.
• Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, research the domain's age, search for contact information, and read online reviews.
• Doesn’t matter what you’re buying, a puppy, car or vacuum cleaner just because the picture looks good doesn’t make it a legitimate offer. Be careful.
• Look for the “https” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “http” – it is NOT secure.
• Beware of making quick purchases while scrolling through social media. Scammers have access to tools they need to learn about your buying habits, offering precisely what you want at enticingly low prices.
• Use a secure traceable form of payment. Using a credit card, you’re less likely to lose money.
• Shipment tracking information can be faked. Look closely to make sure it is a legitimate business. Avoid clicking on the tracking link; go to the shipper's website and type in the code to see if it is real.
• Look for the BBB seal. BBB Accredited Businesses pledge to uphold the BBB standards for trust and to deal fairly with consumers. There are scammers here as well. If a business displays a BBB seal, verify it by going to BBB.org.

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This year financially, there may be a smaller holiday budget for some shoppers as many people remain out of work and are continuing to look for a job. If you are looking for work, you need to be careful about where you find those opportunities. Especially online.

• Beware of businesses that ask applicants to pay for job supplies, application, or training fees. These expenses are the responsibility of the employer… and a big red flag that something is wrong.
• Even if they’re having trouble filling jobs, reputable companies prefer to talk to top job candidates before hiring them. If a job offer is presented without an interview (on the phone or in person) or is offered only via the internet, question the company’s hiring practices and do a little more digging.
• Everyone wants big money. But, if an employer is promising outrageously good wages for what seems like simple tasks such as reshipping packages, stuffing envelopes, or answering phones, this is a red flag. These too-good-to-be-true offers are an attempt to steal your personal information from a fake job application and can take a long time to recover from.
• If you’re asked to do any work for free – move on. A legitimate company will not ask potential applicants to complete any projects before making an official offer.

Dennis Horton is director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau.