Online shoppers, keep your mouse handy

Some retailers will reduce free shipping
Peters’ comments are reinforced by a survey done for Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation. This season, 78 percent of retailers said they plan to offer “free shipping with conditions,” meaning consumers will need to buy specific items or spend various minimums in order to qualify.

One in five retailers say they will require a higher purchase amount by customers this year than last to be eligible for free shipping, and one in 10 said they will be cutting back on the use of free shipping with no conditions.

Online retailers 1-800-Flowers and SmartBargains.com are offering free shipping if customers pay for the orders using PayPal.

PayPal itself is offering cash-back incentives to shoppers who buy from certain retailers, such as Overstock, Blue Nile and eToys.

Target encourages customers to read the fine print on its Target.com site regarding free shipping and products that qualify for it.

“Free shipping applies to select items at Target.com as indicated on the product description page. Look for the ‘free shipping’ logo on qualifying items … Free shipping offers expire on date listed below or while supplies last,” the company says on its site.

You can see how tricky things can get, in terms of what to watch for, and how shopping for the best deal online could easily turn into a full-time job.

“I think there will be good specials online up until the last minute. The question is, will the merchandise be available?” said Peters of Internet Retailer. “Retailers have been very cautious about stocking merchandise. So, some may be offering aggressive pricing up front, but consumers who wait too long may find themselves out of luck.”

Gift cards and returns
Gift cards or certificates purchased online are one of the most popular gifts, according to Forrester Research, which says that two-thirds of consumers plan to purchase them as a holiday present this year.

But with some companies folding, and many in trouble, make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be with the retailer you’re buying from. Otherwise, you could find yourself with an unredeemable present.

“Make sure you’re buying the card from a financially sound retailer,” said Peters. “If you buy a card from a retailer who makes it through the holidays, and then goes bankrupt after the first of the year, the gift card becomes valueless.”

Return policies, too, vary from online merchandiser to merchandiser.

“One of the first things a consumer should do when they’re thinking about buying from a particular site is check what the site’s return policy is,” said Peters.

“I haven’t seen a lot of retailers making changes to their return policy this year, but there are still punitive return policies out there, and the consumer should know what they are before shopping at a particular site.”

Tougher return policies include those where restocking fees are required when an item is returned, where there are “tight” time limits on returns, and the requirement to call the retailer to get a return authorization code before sending an item back, he said.

Retailers, aware that consumers are hurting financially, are also offering plenty of bargain and value gift ideas online.

Dollar General, for example, is featuring “50 toys under $10” at its Web site, as well as 500 items that are searchable by price and category. Kmart.com has “an online tool that we haven’t had before to help our consumers take advantage of layaway,” said Aiello.

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