It's that time of the year again. Everyone is going for the last minute grabs at the stores for their holiday shopping. More people are scurrying to the malls and therefore more people are charging their plastic. That also means more people are becoming prey to identity theft as they cross off each item from their shopping list.
Don't become a prey to such bandits and take the following precautions to make sure your holiday stays happy:-
Carry Less ? Don't carry all your credit cards with you. You are then less likely to lose them or to use them. You won't misplace them or overlook them and at the same time you will be more likely to keep to your original shopping budget.
Control Visibility ? When you are waiting in line don't hold out your credit card for thieves to note down your credit number and other details. Keep it in your purse until you reach the counter and take it out only for the cashier. Keep your eyes on your card until you get it back and immediately put it back in your wallet. Don't get distracted by odd conversations or promotional offers near by.
Check Receipts ? Make sure you check your receipt when your card has been charged. The amount is obviously the first thing to check. You should also check if the receipt has printed your entire credit card number. While most stores don't do this anymore there are still a few that do. In such cases make sure you keep your receipt in a safe place.
Online Shopping ? A lot of us can't get by without shopping online anymore. Earlier we used to be hesitant and avoid it but that is just not possible anymore. If you have purchased anything online you must be extremely careful about checking your credit card statements to make sure that no one use obtained your information for misutilization.
Spend Wisely ? Just because you have a credit card with a limit does not mean you have to use that limit entirely. Be smart in your purchases.
If you follow these four rules like the four fingers on your hand (the thumb is not a finger!) then you will not be taken by a nasty new year surprise.
Online sales are expected to reach 12 billion dollars this year so be sure you get a piece of that huge pie! This is a 1.5 to 2 times increase over 1999 as more people adjust to online shopping.
Here are some ideas that could help you get a slice of that holiday shopping pie:
1. You could offer a free holiday gift with every order over $25 or any set amount.
2. Offer free or discounted shipping with every order.
3. Send Christmas cards to your mailing list offering them a special discount or deal.
4. Offer a gift wrapping service for your customers. Make their shopping as easy and hassle free as possible.
5. If you do home parties, have a Christmas shopping party to split the shipping costs and/or wrapping costs. Have a holiday themed party with gift certificates and free samples.
6. Start a gift referral club with other businesses. If a customer is looking for something you do not offer, give them a place they can get it and other businesses will do the same for you.
7. Have a holiday themed contest on your site to draw in more customers.
8. Work with charity. Offer $x off for everyone who brings in a old toy for kids' charity. For online shoppers have a donation button. This will attract customers as well as provide good publicity for your company.
9. Give a free holiday tips report out with every purchase. Provide tips on saving money, holiday decorating, etc.
10. Make sure everything on your site is working and up to date. Build a special holiday section for your holiday customers.
11. Have a gift ideas section for your shoppers who have trouble picking out gifts. Be sure and have gift certificates or cards available as well.
12. Mail out gift idea cards to your customers/mailing list.
13. Send out coupons with a chance at a free gift with every coupon returned.
14. Do not forget customer service. Provide a little extra for your customers so they come back for more.
15. Become the company with the most Christmas spirit. Donate a portion of all sales to a popular children's charity.
16. Provide a quality product at a good price along with good customer service and your customers are bound to remain loyal to your company.
Take these ideas and add to them. Once you start trying new ideas you will be able to think of more and more. Don't be afraid to try new and creative ideas. Test the results and keep track of what works and what doesn't. What might not work in spring might be very effective during the holiday season.
The holiday marketing season is a chance for you to expand your business and gain more customers, but you must give them a reason to come to you and then to come back to you!
Both Adam J. Heist & Terri Seymour are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Adam J. Heist has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Credit Cards and Finances. Adam Heist has been writing on the internet for many years now. Adam currently works day and night on his website abbey secured loan product guide. For more information on this topic please visit his website today.. Adam J. Heist's top article generates over 1830000 views. to your Favourites.
Terri Seymour has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Home Improvement and Website Traffic. ************Terri Seymour has several years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at f. Terri Seymour's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.