As Black Friday is approaching, many shops are getting ready for one of their largest sales of the year. This is one of the best times to go shopping and according to a survey by Retail Insider, nearly 60% of consumers do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday. While all retail stores in Toronto are currently closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown, most shops offer a website in which you can shop online at the comfort of your own home or at Avalon. It's always exciting to get good deals, but safety is our #1 priority. In this post, we have gathered a few things that we think you should pay attention to when shopping online, as we hope you can have the best online shopping experience possible this holiday season.
Sale
Most shops offer Black Friday sales but they all offer different discounts in different ways. It's very easy to overbuy when you get so excited with all the deals. Before you start shopping, set a budget of the maximum amount you are willing to spend on Black Friday shopping. After that, take a look at the discount they're doing and determine if you're satisfied with it. It's better to do this first than adding the products you want to the cart then find out they're over budget. Some shops offer sitewide discounts like 50% off sitewide and the discount is applied to the price shown already, some of them may require a promo code so make sure you enter the code when checking out if that's the case. Some of them may offer discounts only when you spend a certain amount of money. Before purchasing anything, consider how much you like it and whether it's worth it. Try not to go over your budget as you don't want your bill to be much more expensive than usual.
Currency
Currency is something you should pay attention to if you're shopping at an international site. If that's the case, some shops often let you choose the country you're located in and the currency you want the prices to be shown. Often, you can check out with the currency of your choice which is good. However, that depends on the shops so if you check out with a different currency, your bank will calculate the currency and show it on your monthly statement. Also, keep in mind that you're shopping with a different currency so the prices may be higher than they're shown. For example, if the prices are shown in USD, they will be higher when converted to CAD.
Shipping/Curbside pickup
Most shops offer shipping and in store pick up options, or curbside pickup under Covid-19 lockdown. Usually you have to make a certain amount of purchases in order to get free shipping while pick up is free. Shipping fee can be very costly so you may want to meet the minimum amount for free shipping. If you choose to pick up, make sure the shop you are planning to pick up from has the products in stock. Another thing you may want to keep in mind is the estimated delivery date. If you are shopping for Christmas gifts, you probably want them to arrive before Christmas. Sometimes the shops tell you when's the latest date to place your order if you want the products to arrive before Christmas. If not, pay attention to the estimated delivery date and see if the things you want to buy will arrive by the time you need them.
Return and Exchange Policy
Last but not least, find out the shop's return and exchange policy. Since you can only shop online, you can't try things on. If you're buying clothes, shoes, makeup, or other products that have different sizes and colors, it's better to have free shipping and exchange as you may not be sure about the fit and how they will look on you. Also pay attention to the return and exchange period so you don't miss it. If the shop doesn't offer free return/exchange or the product cannot be returned/exchanged, you may want to reconsider if you still wish to buy it as you will waste your money if the product doesn't turn out as you like.
We hope these tips can make your online shopping experience better. Make sure you buy things from trustworthy website so you won't lose your money. If you're one of our guests currently staying at Avalon and wondering what you can do during the Covid-19 lockdown, you can take advantage of our free fast wifi and do some online shopping! If you're not one of our guests, we hope to see you after the lockdown if you're ever looking for short term rentals in Toronto. All our premium suites at Avalon are fully furnished with a fully equipped kitchen and all the amenities you need. We have 5 types of suites ranging from studios to 2 bedroom suites so just pick one that accommodates your needs. To learn more, visit our website or call us at 416.731.1372. Happy shopping! 🛍📦
Comments