Live Better
Smart clicks: How to shop online like a pro
How to shop online like a pro
(Family Features) Over the past year, online shopping has become the norm for all kinds of purchases, from groceries and household essentials to gifts and clothing.
Shopping for clothes and other items from the comfort of your home has multiple advantages, including the convenience to shop on your own schedule and the ability to do more thorough research to get the best prices before you buy. However, if you’re not used to doing it, shopping online for items you typically purchase at brick and mortar stores can be daunting.
To make your online shopping experiences more efficient and successful, consider these tips from Kellie Brown, fashion influencer and author of the “And I Get Dressed” blog.
Look Around for Good Deals
If you have your eye on a particular item, shop around on multiple sites for it. Prices can vary from one website to another, and you could be missing out on big savings by not doing your research. When you’re comparing items, be sure to pay attention to details. Verify model or style numbers, colors and other specifics to ensure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Ultimately, you may find the same item with a slight difference that you’re willing to accept for a better price. Be sure you’re checking diligently so you have all the data you need to make a well-informed decision.
Doing research online may also help you locate discount codes that can help bring down the price if you buy from a specific online retailer.
Know Your Measurements
Clothing is one category that shoppers either love or hate to buy online. Brown sees one distinct advantage: skipping the fitting room.
“Shopping for clothes online can seem daunting, but one of the biggest perks is being able to avoid the dreaded dressing room experience,” Brown said. “I hate the process of waiting in line, the overhead lighting, wonky mirrors and having to evaluate clothing in a flash.”
Buying online lets you ditch the fitting room in favor of the comfort of your own home, where you can take time to consider your new garments in private.
Brown cautions that the first rule of shopping for clothes online is recognizing sizing isn’t always universal. For example, a size 18 from one store may fit completely different at another store. If you know your measurements, you can compare those with the listed size chart. That way, you can select the best size for specific brands or products.
Use the Right Credit Card
Joining a store’s loyalty program can be advantageous if you are a frequent shopper at a specific brand or retailer. Also, it’s important to realize not all credit cards are the same, and some offer rewards for online shopping, including cash back.
“The most versatile option is a card that adapts with your spending, such as the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card that lets you earn 3% cash back in a category of your choice,” Brown said. “Hint: Online shopping is one of those categories. The rewards don’t expire, and if you are a Preferred Rewards member, you could boost your rewards by 25-75%, which means you could earn up to 5.25% cash back on your transactions. These rewards can be redeemed into your savings account as money for future shopping.”
Double Check Return and Exchange Policies
Make sure you know the return policy of the retailer you’re shopping with to ensure your return or exchange will be accepted, if necessary. Being an avid online shopper, Brown offers a few important tips for dealing with items that may need returned.
Many stores won’t accept open packages or clothing with tags removed, so be sure you know the guidelines before tearing into your packages when they arrive.
You should also check whether you can return items to a local store, if there’s one available, or if you’ll have to ship a return, and find out who is responsible for return shipping costs.
It’s also important to be conscious of timing since most retailers have specific rules about how long you have to return an item. Some use the order date as the starting point while others use the delivery date. Especially with shipping delays that may occur, be clear on dates before you order. Many stores offer extended returns windows, but it’s still smart to know the expectations up front.
Stay Safe Online
Online shopping offers plenty of benefits but being cautious with your credit card information and banking information can help you avoid certain risks. Consider these tips from Better Money Habits, Bank of America’s free financial education platform, to help you protect your finances while shopping online.
Use powerful passwords: Avoid the temptation to set a password you can remember easily and instead use something a little more complex that would be hard for others to guess or hack. Use a distinct password for each online account so you don’t make multiple accounts vulnerable if your personal information does get stolen. Also change your passwords periodically for added security.
Look for the lock: If you’re shopping online, be sure the address begins with https. The “S” tells you the site is secure, and don’t forget to look for the little lock icon in the browser before you enter any payment information.
Secure your networks: Whether using your home Wi-Fi, a mobile device while on the go or a public computer, you need to take steps to secure your info. Start by password protecting your home’s network. When you log in to any financial account while away from home, like at a coffee shop or restaurant, don’t do so on an open network. If you’re using a shared computer, be sure to clear all your personal information when you log out.
Set up notifications: One easy way to keep an eye on your credit card information is to sign up for mobile or email alerts with your bank. This way, each time your card is used, you receive a notification. Plus, your bank may be able to notify you of any suspicious activity.
Online shopping can save you valuable time and money, especially when you’re smart about your purchases. Find more information at bankofamerica.com/morerewarding.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images (mom and daughter shopping on tablet)
Kellie Brown, a paid spokesperson for Bank of America. All opinions are her own.
SOURCE:
Bank of America
(Family Features) Thanks to the explosion of ecommerce over the past couple decades, consumers can find virtually any product or service they can think of online. In fact, the consumer ecommerce market is expected to approach $6 trillion by 2027, according to the International Trade Administration, up from roughly $4 trillion in 2024.
A diverse collection of product segments is driving this growth, including everything from fashion and furniture to food and beverage. While major marketplace retailers still lead the category, ecommerce has become commonplace among small businesses, too. In fact, by the end of 2023, an estimated 80% of small businesses had at least basic ecommerce capabilities, according to a report by Digital Commerce 360.
However, small businesses are grappling with challenges such as inflation, supply chain issues and keeping pace with major retailers, among others, that are driving a variety of ecommerce trends in 2025 and beyond, including:
Video Content
Spurred by social media, video content is in high demand on ecommerce sites, too. Videos that explain how to use products, offer tips for using them and demonstrate projects that were completed using a product all earn favor with shoppers. In addition, videos that highlight product features, video reviews on social media and “live shopping events” on the social channels of ecommerce retailers can provide a more appealing interactive experience for shoppers.
Inclusive of the “live shopping events” trends, livestreaming is often popular among consumers as it can create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), leading to enhanced brand loyalty and engagement. Short-form videos sweeping social media also drive engagements and offer a quick, appealing way to demonstrate new or popular products.
Personalized Products
Ecommerce provides opportunities for shoppers who appreciate buying products that are uniquely their own. Online buying platforms that allow for customization of products such as shoes, clothing and drinkware can create buyer engagement and earn loyal shoppers who know they can purchase the items they want exactly to their own specifications. In fact, a survey by McKinsey Insights found 80% of loyal customers prefer shopping with brands that offer tailored choices and personalized experiences. From color selection and accessories to performance variations, custom options can help create a highly personalized shopping experience that allow buyers to interact more directly than they would for a standardized transaction.
Beyond the initial purchase, customized reports and shipping notifications are also becoming the norm. Shippers can alert customers to their products’ delivery status – including any delays or changes – via email, text, video message or, in some cases, a customizable dashboard where consumers can view incoming shipments tied to their account or address, request a different delivery time or location, pre-sign for packages and more.
Micro Purchasing Moments
You may think phenomena like impulse buys or convenience purchases are reserved for brick-and-mortar stores, but micro-purchasing trends suggest otherwise. These purchases are typically made by someone looking for a quick solution or information in a hurry from a mobile device, such as comparing two or more similar products and clicking a “buy now” link, ordering and paying for food ahead of time to skip the line, making a hotel or excursion reservation while traveling or looking up movie showtimes and purchasing tickets from the same page. Ecommerce sites that can establish themselves as a resource, make information easy to digest and simplify the purchasing process are earning customers (and revenue).
Flexible Payment Options
Online purchases were once limited almost exclusively to credit card purchases, but over time, businesses have granted greater flexibility to shoppers when it comes to collecting payment. While this trend has been growing for several years, many contemporary ecommerce sites now accept credit or debit cards, online checks, digital wallet and mobile payment services, cryptocurrency and even installment payments via third-party providers. By 2029, the third-party payment market is expected to almost double from $62.5 billion in 2024, according to findings from Mordor Intelligence.
Simplified Shipping Options
Evolving technology isn’t just improving the browsing and purchasing side of ecommerce; shipping operations are also seeing enhancements. For example, ShipAccel, a digital platform designed by Pitney Bowes, simplifies and enhances shipping operations with advanced ecommerce technology. The platform empowers early ecommerce brands to ship like larger companies with access to discounted carrier rates; more than 80 integrations including leading marketplaces, data and insights to help make smarter shipping decisions; branded tracking; and return capabilities. It features a collection of apps, widgets and application programming interfaces to easily configure new workflows and seamlessly meet the demands of business growth.
“As ecommerce becomes a mainstay, shippers must take a technology-first approach, utilizing platforms that can grow along with the business and partnering with providers who offer deep expertise in the segment,” said Shemin Nurmohamed, president of Sending Technology Solutions at Pitney Bowes. “As a result of using technology like ShipAccel, ecommerce shippers can save money, enhance operational efficiencies and delight customers – all of which support the business’ bottom line.”
Find more shipping support for your ecommerce business in the coming year at shipaccel.com.
Easy ECommerce Shipping Tips
Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, getting smart about shipping can help improve your ecommerce experience.
Be cost-conscious. Buyers obviously benefit from lower costs, but as a seller, managing shipping costs means more revenue. Volume discounts and options for lower prices with longer shipping times can make a bigger impact than you might expect. A shipping partner that has pre-negotiated discounted rates with carriers can deliver significant savings to your business, too.
Reduce package sizes. Using boxes or padded envelopes that closely fit the product being shipped can reduce weight and therefore the cost to send it to the customer. Also avoid excess packaging that adds bulk, which adds cost and waste.
Utilize advanced tracking tools. Keep tracking information for everything you ship or buy so you can monitor its safe delivery or, if problems arise, promptly identify and correct the issue. An option like ShipAccel uniquely provides branded tracking updates so your business stays front and center with your customer from click to porch.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (woman using laptop)
SOURCE:
Pitney Bowes
As spring approaches at jet speed and you start thinking about planting mixed containers but perhaps with a little fear of the partnerships keep in mind three-part harmony. It certainly works in church music, and it is perfect for gardeners too. In the world of garden color, we call it triadic harmony.
Simply put triadic harmony is three colors spread equal distance apart on the color wheel. So in the mixed container or basket this would be three colors of flowers to create pleasing harmony.
Rowe Farms is not only one of my favorite growers of seasonal flower color, but their Facebook page is a textbook on design ideas.
Read the full Garden Guy column in the Thursday Bowie News.
(Family Features) Freelancers, creatives and on-the-go leaders know they can only go as far as their tech takes them. Make sure you – or the loved ones in your life – can harness the power of productivity with the latest gadgets.
Whether you need to power more productive work hours or seek inspiration for “you” time, ignite performance with these laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Series. Multi-day battery life, unmatched performance and on-device AI capabilities allow you to power through tasks – business or personal – uninterrupted. Unlock exceptionally fast processing power and experience game-changing speed, power efficiency, enhanced security and simple device management.
Discover tech solutions for both professional and personal use at Qualcomm.com/Snapdragon.
Streamline Creativity with a Smart Sidekick
Unlock the freedom of creativity with AI-powered performance on the ultra-slim Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x powered by Snapdragon X Elite. Dazzling 3K PureSight OLED display with 1,000 nits peak brightness and Comfort Edge Design are engineered for on-the-move creators. Built for next-gen AI experiences, it’s not just smart – it’s your creative sidekick that knows what you need before you do, streamlining tasks with leading on-device intelligence action. Amazingly slim and unexpectedly tough, find out how AI can match your A-game.
Take AI to New Heights
Push your AI experience to the next level with the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus powered by Snapdragon X Plus, built with a portable design backed by all-day battery life up to 15 hours. With groundbreaking on-device AI and powerful performance, it enables a faster and more efficient experience from virtually anywhere. It’s easy on the eyes with Dell ComfortView Plus, a tall 16:10 aspect ratio for more vertical space and less scrolling, a hardware low blue light solution and vibrant details from the QHD+ resolution, 400-nit brightness level and Dolby Vision.
Level Up On-the-Go Creativity
Designed for tech-savvy freelancers and on-the-go leaders, the HP OmniBook X powered by Snapdragon X Plus is built with a sleek design and the perfect synergy of AI-enhanced power and mobility. It’s sleek and versatile with multi-day battery life, taking productivity and creativity up a notch through style, function and mobility. Lightning-fast responsiveness provides top performance without sacrificing portability for work and play as you can stream up to 12 hours of video calls or binge 22 hours of your favorite shows.
Speed Up Productivity
Bringing intelligent AI solutions to your fingertips with features that effortlessly streamline settings, optimize your video experience and elevate communication, the Acer Swift 14 AI powered by Snapdragon X Elite delivers exceptional responsiveness with multi-day battery life. Peak performance with lightning-fast data speeds and responsiveness allows you to work efficiently and enables multitasking with ease. Bring work to life with a color-rich OLED display in a premium ultra-thin chassis with Copilot+, which helps boost productivity and security with on-device AI solutions.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (man and woman using laptop)
SOURCE:
Qualcomm
-
NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS1 year agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS2 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS2 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS2 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint