Magic Cards and Easy Boxes

We’re going to take a break from my mom for a while now and talk about another family member – my cousin.  She started college last year and worked the entire summer before, 2 jobs for some of the time.  Her college was in the middle of nowhere… and by that I mean there might be a pizza joint in the town.  The nearest mall is a little under an hour away.

But, when last summer came, she was dead broke.  In fact, I found out later that she ran out of money only a couple months into the first semester and had been asking her parents for money the entire time.  How could that happen?  Let me tell you the story of when she came back…

She pulled into her driveway a little before the entire extended family arrived to celebrate mother’s day.  Her entire car was packed, so those of us that were there went to go help.  We were expecting bedding and her computer supplies.  We found bags upon bags from Forever 21.  She had two words in explanation to her mom: online shopping.  She became a "Ship-aholic".  Please, hold back your laughter.

So, in honor of her mom, my aunt, we have today’s post about online shopping and their dangers.  Let’s just put this into perspective… on Christmas Day last year, there were over 5.24 million people that shopped online on Christmas Day!  Their purchases were over $225 million dollars.  Online.  On Christmas Day.

How are things bought online, whether it’s eBay or some retailer?  Credit cards.  You probably remember the post about credit cards and the fees within them when M— Man was a part of our lives.  What about other issues, like just how easy it is to swipe plastic?  What about the dangers?

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your point of view, there are many different ways that people have created to make shopping online safer.  These are things like PayPal.

But that makes buying online so much easier for college-aged students and those just starting out.  But what about all the credit card companies that target us so they can get more money?  Would you buy that item if you saw it in a store?  Would you pay cash?  Think about the item before you buy.

Outside of the credit card problems, there is one other problem added to that of online shopping.  It’s the fact that online shoppers spend more money.  Period.

Advertising.com did a survey in 2006 on online shopping, and one of their main findings is this:

"The survey results point to several clear trends: consumers value the ease and incentives offered through online shopping and intend to spend more online as a result - starting their online activities early in the season," - Mollie Spilman, chief sales and marketing officer

It’s the same thing like impulse buying at the actual store.  Retailers put all those yummy candies and DVDs and all that other stuff at the check-out aisles because people are much more likely to buy those things when they are conveniently placed.  It takes a lot less effort.

PS – I’m not saying that you shouldn’t shop online… I do it all the time.  Just make sure that you’re being smart about the purchases.