A woman uses her mobile phone in front of sale signs in the window of a clothes store at a shopping mall in central Sydney June 6, 2013. Australia's economy posted a second straight quarter of moderate growth as a drop in business investment offset gains
A woman uses her mobile phone in front of sale signs in the window of a clothes store at a shopping mall in central Sydney June 6, 2013. Reuters/Daniel Munoz

December 26 is just around the corner and people have already started their hunt for the best gifts this Boxing Day. IBT Australia has come up with some online shopping tips to help readers search for an ideal gift to show gratitude towards their co-workers or staff members.

Before what one chooses to gift the other person, it is important to do some prior research on where to choose it from.

Search for an online shopping website

Those who work in a 9-to-5 job don’t have time to visit physical stores and spend hours selecting and shopping for gifts. Malls in Australia close around 5:00 p.m., while Boxing Day buyers are still in their workplaces. In that case, online shopping is the best idea as stores are open 24/7. Search for popular shopping sites in Australia or subscribe to online store email alerts to receive online deals.

Attractive deals season

As December is a festive month, shopping is the craze all around, be it for Christmas or Boxing Day or any other year-end occasion. This is what drives online sites to introduce attractive deals for the customers. As competition among online shopping sites heats up, discount deals keep getting hotter. Even as seemingly minute deal of free shipping is a big help, especially if a customer orders in bulk.

Where to shop?

Buyers can take advantage of the promo codes available on many online shopping websites, which introduce discounts on their special products for the day. Finder.com.au has listed some of Australia’s best online shopping sites, which even include department store giants David Jones and Coles.

Check the delivery date

Buying from online sites may be convenient, but not if the items don’t arrive on time. As Boxing Day comes nearer, more people are hoping to receive their products before the day itself. It’s best to ask first if the items will arrive on time before checking out the shopping cart.

Verify security of website

The Queensland government has jotted down certain rules, which the buyers must follow while transacting with online shopping websites on Boxing Day.

First, always visit a secure website which begins with https and not http. Visiting a secure website will help buyers make secure payment while protecting them from fraud and unauthorised credit card transactions.

Look for the image of a closed padlock, which is generally present in the bottom right corner of the browser window. This will ensure the buyer is on the secure website. Buyers should also keep record of all their transactions. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has set up ScamWatch for tips on how to avoid being scammed on online transactions.

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