By Natalie Lester, PetSafe Brand Marketing Specialist
There is no more hiding. The holiday shopping season is officially here. Back in the dark ages before the internet, shoppers had to shower, dress and head out into public to find the gifts they would be giving that holiday season. Not anymore. Now, you can zoom from one store to the other in a series of clicks and complete all your shopping from the comfort of your own home. However, there are certain precautions you should take and helpful tips for shopping online.
Read on to find your pets (as well as human family and friends) the perfect gifts this season.
1. Stay safe.
Debit or credit cards are the preferred method of payment online, and you should be sure you are on a secured site so your information isn’t compromised. You can observe whether if you are on a safe site by looking for a lock in the upper right hand corner of your URL box. You can also check the beginning of the URL. Secure sites will have a s in them, like https://, rather than the http:// you also see.
2. Buy the bargains.
Online shopping lets you do lots of research without wasting lots of gas driving from store to store. Take advantage of it and spend the time to search for the best deals. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned!
3. Plan your purchase.
Perhaps this goes without saying, but the one pitfall of online shopping is that you must wait for the item to arrive. Therefore, shopping early is critical so you can be sure the gift arrives when you need it. 
If your dog was to buy you a Christmas gift, what would he get you?
4. Know your rights.
Some sites will stick customers with ruthless return or exchange policies. It is important to understand those before you buy. That way, you can be prepared if something doesn’t fit. For example, I always have a hard time finding doggie clothes that fit Emma. I don’t usually order online because I am afraid they won’t fit and I’ll be stuck with them.
5. Recognize when a deal is too good to be true.
The holidays can, unfortunately, bring out the worst in people. Every year, scammers come up with ways to trick consumers and skepticism can go a long way in protecting your personal information and bank account.
What about you? Do you have any other online shopping tips? Will you be shopping for your pets online this holiday season?
Tell us what will be under the tree for them in the comment section below.
ABOUT NATALIE
As the PetSafe Brand Marketing Specialist, Natalie manages The Paw Print blog and generates other brand related content including public relations and promotions. Before PetSafe, Natalie worked in the local media covering politics, education, and religion. Natalie’s puppy, Emma, spends almost as much time in the office as she does.
