Shopping Safely Online for Black Friday

By: Darren Chu

No doubt, by now your inbox has been flooded with hundreds of different promotional emails with Black Friday deals. And with the pandemic still an ongoing issue, it is expected, and even recommended, that Canadians shop online to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

To help you make the most out of your online shopping this year, we have prepared a short guide to keep your digital wallet safe while you shop. As a self-proclaimed shopaholic, here are some tips I’ve learned along the way.

Read, Read, and Re-Read

I like to know what I’m buying before I fork over my hard-earned dollars. For many of us, this year especially, when money is tight, it’s important to get the most bang for your buck. That’s why when I’m shopping online, I read everything there is about a product before I add it to my cart.

The product description is the easiest and simplest way of getting to know your purchase before you make it. Look for typos, or odd phrasings that might indicate the product is either a fake or not exactly what it appears to be. I saw a comic recently where a teenager was extremely disappointed when he opened his grandmother’s gift only to discover it was a “Praystation 5” instead of the actual Playstation 5.

Image Credit: @adamtots Instagram

I also like to make sure the product has all the features I’m looking for. Whether that’s smart phone compatibility (something to watch for when buying wireless phone chargers), battery life, “what’s-in-the-box” lists, or any other important details. For clothing, I’m checking the sizing chart (it’s annoying, but if you do it once and record your measurements, you’ll know for other sites as well) and materials.

Reviews, when they’re included, are also key. Many of the large online retailers include product reviews and these are great ways to filter out potential returns. If a retailer doesn’t have reviews for its products, do a quick Google search and you’re likely to find at least someone who has reviewed that product. The goal is to reduce the number of product returns because many of these end up in landfills instead of being resold.

Appearance is Everything

If you passed by a brick-and-mortar store that was dirty, had debris laying around, and looked disorganized overall, would that instill confidence as a buyer? And I don’t mean kitschy, quirky stores, I’m talking about stores that look more like the average teenager’s bedroom, one where there are clothes strewn about and nothing looks tidy.

The same goes for online storefronts that look unprofessional or have broken links. That’s not to say a single broken link indicates a fake website (things break occasionally), but there are enough amazing websites out there that it should be pretty obvious if a site isn’t working properly. It’s relatively easy to get a professional site up and running these days, so there aren’t many good excuses for a shabby site.

For added security, you are also going to want to look for the small lock icon next to the URL (the website address) or that the URL starts with “HTTPS.” If the URL is "http" (hypertext transfer protocol) instead of "https" (hypertext transfer protocol SECURE), it is likely not a secure site. URLs that start with https means the site is authenticated, and the data is protected during transit. In short, your private information cannot be intercepted.

If you’re shopping using a mobile device, make sure you are accessing the site using a browser app (Chrome, Safari, etc.) instead of through another app like Instagram or Twitter. This will ensure that you can check the site’s URL for security. Better yet, when shopping using your mobile device, use a store’s dedicated app whenever possible. Not only is your shopping experience likely to be smoother (not all storefronts work nicely on mobile browsers), but you have peace of mind knowing that the app was designed specifically for their storefront.

Pay by Credit Card

Financially-speaking, there are obvious benefits to paying by debit, especially around the holidays when overspending becomes all too commonplace. However, you are afforded certain protections when paying by credit card. Major credit card providers like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express all have fraud protection programs that include zero liability for fraudulent purchases.

Online merchants should also be asking for CVV/CVV2 (Card Verification Value) or CID (Card Identification Number) when processing credit card payments. This added layer of security ensures that the buyer is in possession of the physical card. Look in the signature box for the 3-digit code on the back of Visa and Mastercards, or for the 4-digit code on the front of American Express cards.

Credit card providers are also much more likely to be able to show updated payments on your cards, many of which can be accessed via online accounts or dedicated apps. Check your credit card statements frequently, especially if you suspect that your card has been compromised. Not only will this help you keep track of your holiday spending, it will help you spot fraudulent activity as well.

Shop at Home

If you’re trying to keep your online purchases secret from family members (for gifting reasons, of course) by setting up at a coffee shop, you might want to think twice. When you sign onto a public WiFi network, you are exposing yourself to all kinds of malicious activity.

Public networks are just that: public. This means anyone could be accessing the network and potentially logging the traffic that occurs over it. Your credit card information, account logins, and any other sensitive information could potentially become compromised. You can get around this by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which can mask your data and render it harder to hack.

When shopping online from home, make sure your home WiFi network is also password protected to keep out any unwanted activity. You can definitely have some fun with network names and passwords.

There are also other less digital ways of guarding your privacy, and those include knowing who might be around you when you’re entering personal information into a website. Make sure no one can look over your shoulder and get a peek at your password, credit card information, and so forth. If you’re shopping from home, you can rest assured that you are the only one viewing your screen.

Change Up Your Passwords

As the holiday season approaches, you may find yourself shopping on a variety of different websites that you wouldn’t normally frequent. Many websites now require customers to create an account before making a purchase. This serves two purposes: 1) it encourages you to come back and shop again by storing your details, and 2) it allows you to keep a localized record of your orders and invoices.

Because you might be visiting many websites, it will be tempting to use the same login information for all of them so that you don’t have to remember 60 different passwords. Using the same password for more than one account leaves you vulnerable. If one account is compromised, they are all compromised, which is why it is always a good idea to set up different passwords for each account you create online. Need help coming up with a secure password? Check out tip #4 on this Q Wave blog.

Ok, so setting unique passwords is great from a security standpoint, but how can you be expected to remember them all? That’s where a password manager comes in handy. There are more than enough password managers out there, some paid, some free. I like Dropbox’s version but that came down to personal preference. We have other users who like Password Safe because it’s easy to use.

Shop Local

There’s no question, the convenience of shopping with big retailers like Amazon is significant. There is also the added benefit of having generally trusted brands when buying from the big box retailers. But it’s worth considering shopping locally so that you can avoid horror stories like this one.

Many small businesses have struggled this year, and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is encouraging Canadians to shop locally this holiday season and beyond to support local economies. Small retailers simply do not have the large balance sheets to draw upon in times of need and your support is more vital than ever.

This year, we encourage you to try OurStore.ca where you can find products that will help you make your home smarter. As a small Calgary start-up shop launching just in time for Black Friday, we provide products from popular brands at competitive prices. Most importantly, each purchase you make further supports Spot Power and the other locally-owned and operated Energy Marketers in UTILITYnet's network!

Not sure how to make yours a smart home? Try a Google Nest Thermostat that learns your habits and preferences and adjusts the temperature to be more efficient. Or pick up a couple of smart plugs to control your lights remotely. The possibilities are endless when your home is connected!

When you shop at OurStore, we ship directly from our office in Inglewood, Calgary. We are committed to supporting local businesses, and we ask you to do the same when you’re out shopping this holiday season.