Because a good deal should still be a good decision.
Holiday shopping has a way of making everything feel a little more urgent.
There's the gift you haven't found yet. The sale that supposedly ends at midnight. The advertisement for something you didn't even know existed five minutes ago—but now you're thinking it would be perfect for someone on your list.
And somewhere in all of that, you're supposed to figure out whether the deal is real.
The challenge isn't simply that scammers are out there. It's that legitimate businesses and scammers sometimes use the same techniques to get our attention. Flash sales, countdown clocks, enthusiastic customer reviews, and advertisements that seem to know exactly what we're looking for are all part of today's online shopping experience.
So how do we tell the difference between a good deal and a scam?
At Wright to Learn, we spend a lot of time helping people build the skills to make their own decisions about technology. Holiday shopping is a great opportunity to put some of those skills to work.
1. Notice When an Advertisement Is Trying to Rush You
Imagine you're browsing Facebook when an advertisement catches your eye.
It's a beautiful holiday decoration, complete with moving parts and sparkling lights. The video makes it look amazing. And according to the advertisement, something that normally costs $120 is available today for just $24.99.
But there's a catch: The sale ends in 15 minutes!
Maybe it's a genuine bargain. Maybe it isn't.
Here's what matters: The countdown clock isn't giving you information about the quality of the product. It's encouraging you to make a decision quickly.
That's an important distinction.
Businesses have always used sales and limited-time offers to encourage purchases—think "doorbusters" at wildly reduced prices on Black Friday. Online, those techniques can be especially effective because we can go from seeing an advertisement to entering our credit card information in just a few taps.
Try this:
The next time you see an advertisement that makes you feel like you need to buy something immediately, ask yourself:
Was I already looking for this item, or did the advertisement create the desire to buy it?
What do I actually know about the product and the seller?
Would I still want to purchase it if the sale weren't ending in 15 minutes?
You don't have to answer every question perfectly. The goal is simply to recognize when an advertisement is influencing your decision.
And if the offer disappears while you're thinking? That's okay. There will be other sales.
2. Learn to Investigate a Deal Without Becoming a Detective
You don't need special software or advanced technology skills to check whether an unfamiliar online store is worth trusting. You just need to know where to look.
Let's say you've found a gift on a website you've never visited before. Before entering your payment information, here are a few things worth checking.
Check the website address
Look at the address bar near the top of your internet browser. On a phone, it may appear at the bottom of the screen instead.
The address should match the business you think you're visiting.
For example, imagine you're trying to visit a store called "Holiday Gifts" at holidaygifts.com. An address such as holidaygifts-clearance-shop.com might look related, but it's actually a completely different website. (These are fictional examples.)
Be especially careful if you arrived at the website through an advertisement or a link in a message.
And check for HTTPS: A shopping website should use https:// rather than http:// to encrypt information you send, including payment details. Don't enter personal or financial information on a site with an insecure connection. But remember, HTTPS doesn't guarantee that the business is legitimate—scammers can use it, too.
Look for the business behind the website
Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for links such as "Contact Us," "About Us," or "Returns."
Can you find a reasonable way to contact the company? Does it explain how returns work? Are shipping costs and delivery estimates clear?
A legitimate business can have a poorly designed website, and a scammer can have a beautiful one. What you're looking for is information that helps you understand who you're buying from and what to expect.
One particularly important warning sign: If an unfamiliar online seller tells you that you must pay using gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a direct money transfer to an individual, consider shopping elsewhere. These payment methods can make it very difficult to recover your money if something goes wrong.
See what others are saying
Open a new browser tab and search for the store's name followed by the word "complaints" or "reviews."
On a computer, you can usually open a new tab by clicking the + near the top of your browser. On a phone, tap your browser's tab button and select the option to open a new tab.
Look beyond reviews on the seller's own website. See whether you can find information from independent sources.
One negative review doesn't necessarily mean a business is dishonest. But repeated complaints about products never arriving, unexpected charges, or customers being unable to get refunds are worth paying attention to.
The point isn't to prove that a store is safe. It's to gather enough information to decide whether you're comfortable shopping there.
3. Don't Assume the Picture Tells the Whole Story
This is becoming an increasingly important online shopping skill.
You may have noticed advertisements for products that seem almost too impressive to be real: elaborate decorations, clever gadgets, or clothing that looks absolutely perfect.
Sometimes the product is real, but the advertisement exaggerates what it can do.
Other times, the images or videos may have been created or altered using artificial intelligence (AI).
And AI-generated advertising isn't necessarily fraudulent. Businesses can use AI to create perfectly legitimate advertisements.
The concern is whether the advertisement accurately represents what you're buying.
Here's an example.
You see a video of a miniature Christmas village with tiny moving figures, glowing windows, and a train that circles the buildings.
It looks wonderful.
But before buying, you might want to know whether the actual product has all those features—or whether the video is simply an imaginative representation.
How can you check?
Start by looking at all the available product photographs, not just the first one.
On many shopping websites, you'll see a row of smaller pictures beneath or beside the main product image. Click or tap through them.
Do they all look like polished advertisements? Or are there photographs showing the actual product in an ordinary setting, perhaps sitting on someone's table or being held in someone's hand?
If every image looks like a computer-generated advertisement and none shows the actual product in a realistic setting, that's a reason to investigate further.
Next, read the product description. Look for specific information about size, materials, features, and what's included in the package.
You can also search for the product's name and model number, if available, to see whether other retailers carry it. Customer photographs and independent video reviews may help you understand what the product actually looks like.
Keep in mind that customer reviews and photographs can be fake or manipulated, too. It's better to compare several sources than to rely on any single review.
This is also worth remembering when shopping on familiar marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, or Etsy. These platforms may offer buyer protections, but that doesn't mean every product listing or independent seller is equally reliable.
A familiar shopping website can be a useful starting point. It's not a substitute for looking carefully at what you're purchasing.
4. Think About How You're Paying
Let's say you've done your research, and you've decided to make a purchase.
There's one more important decision: how to pay.
For online shopping, credit cards generally offer stronger protections against fraudulent charges and certain purchase disputes than payment methods such as gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
Debit cards may have some protections, too, but because the money comes directly from your bank account, resolving a problem may be more disruptive.
Consider an additional layer of protection
Digital wallets and payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal can offer another way to protect your financial information.
When you use Apple Pay or Google Pay, for example, the seller doesn't receive your actual credit or debit card number. Instead, the payment system uses a secure substitute for your card information.
PayPal can also allow you to pay without giving the seller your card or bank account details directly.
Some credit card companies offer another useful feature: virtual card numbers. These are temporary or separate card numbers linked to your credit card account. Depending on the provider, you may be able to limit a number to a particular store or set an expiration date.
That means if a seller's payment information is compromised later, your actual card number hasn't necessarily been exposed.
These options don't guarantee that a seller is trustworthy or that you'll receive what you ordered. But they can reduce how much financial information you share directly with a store.
If you're interested in using one of these features, check your bank or credit card company's website or app to see what's available.
Finally, before clicking the "Place Order" button, review the total amount, shipping charges, and any additional services or subscriptions that may have been added.
And keep your order confirmation. If something goes wrong, having a record of what you purchased and what you were promised can make resolving the problem easier.
5. What If You Already Made a Purchase You Regret?
Maybe you ordered something that never arrived. Maybe the product looks nothing like the advertisement. Or maybe you realized afterward that the website wasn't legitimate.
It happens, including to people who are very comfortable using technology.
What matters now is what you do next.
If your order never arrived or wasn't as described: Contact the seller and keep a record of your communication. If the problem isn't resolved, contact your bank or credit card company promptly to ask about disputing the charge.
If you entered payment information on a website you now believe was fraudulent: Contact your bank or card issuer immediately. You can usually find the appropriate phone number on the back of your card or through your bank's official website or app.
Explain what happened. The bank will likely ask you some questions about the transaction and may recommend canceling your existing card and issuing a replacement with a new number.
We know that's inconvenient! You may have to wait for the replacement card and update any subscriptions or automatic payments connected to the old one.
But dealing with that inconvenience is better than leaving your financial information exposed to possible ongoing misuse.
You can also report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
And remember that you can ask for help. A trusted friend, family member, or library staff member may be able to help you identify the appropriate next steps.
The Most Useful Shopping Skill? Knowing You Have a Choice.
Here's something we emphasize often at Wright to Learn: Being confident with technology doesn't mean always knowing the answer. It means knowing how to ask questions, find information, and make choices that work for you.
That applies just as much to online shopping as it does to using a smartphone or learning about AI.
You don't have to recognize every scam. You don't have to understand exactly how an advertisement was created. And you certainly don't have to purchase something just because a website tells you that time is running out.
You can compare prices. You can research a seller. You can ask someone for a second opinion.
And you can decide not to buy.
This holiday season, we hope you find some wonderful gifts, enjoy a few genuine bargains, and remember that a little curiosity and a willingness to slow down can be some of your most useful online shopping tools.
Want to learn more about shopping safely online? Wright to Learn offers a class called Safe(r) Shopping Online, where we explore how to protect your financial information, recognize suspicious websites and deals, and research purchases before buying. Check our Calendar for upcoming classes.
