Better Business Bureau Provides Tips for Black Friday Shopping - WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather

Better Business Bureau Provides Tips for Black Friday Shopping

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With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday starting beginning in a few days, Better Business Bureau provides tips to make your shopping experience go as smoothly as possible.

Create a budget and stick to it

  • The average holiday shopper will spend $749.51 on gifts, décor, greeting cards and other seasonal items this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Better Business Bureau has teamed up with Clearpoint Credit Solutions to offer the Holiday Planner Calculator, an online tool that helps people create realistic budgets.

Don't fall for the too-good-to-be-true deal

  • Check out retailers on Better Business Bureau Business Reviews at bbb.org. There, you can compare prices before shopping to find out the best deals. If you are searching for coupons online, make sure to get them from the store's website, not from an offsite deal promoter.

Watch out for scams

  • The BBB Scam Stopper website, http://www.bbb.org/scam-stopper/, provides information about the latest scams and also helps you learn the most common tactics used by scam artists online, and in-person.

Shop safely online

  • November 26 is "Cyber Monday". Before you begin to shop online, make sure your computer has the most recent updates for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Know your rights

  • Know your legal rights, whether shopping retail or online. U.S. law requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren't shipped on time, the shopper can cancel and demand a refund. Consumers also have the right to reject merchandise if it's defective or has been misrepresented. Keep track of all receipts and documentation, as well.