It´is almost Christmas, and millions are still fretting about buying gifts. Here are five pointers for holiday procrastinators. Every year you vow the next holiday season will be different. It never is.
There's less than a week before Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah, and you're nowhere near done shopping. Some of you haven't even started. Dec. 19 -- the last day you can order from Amazon.com using "standard shipping" and get the gift delivered on time -- has come and gone. For many sites, free shipping and guaranteed delivery before Dec. 25 ended days ago. Before long, the only way you're going to get it there on time is if you deliver it yourself.
But don't despair, you're not alone. According to the National Retail Federation, 85% of Americans wait until the last 10 days before Christmas to finish shopping. And believe it or not, procrastinating may save you not only time but a few bucks as well. Some retailers are forced to offer last-minute deals to attract the growing list of last-minute shoppers.
If you've waited this long, you're probably planning to complete at least part of the final leg of the shopping dash online. Here are a few pointers to bear in mind as you surf the Web:
1. Ship Smart. At least one savvy apparel shop, L.L. Bean, is offering a great deal: free shipping and overnight delivery for orders placed until Dec. 22. Others, such as Amazon and RedEnvelope, also guarantee pre-Christmas delivery through Dec. 22 -- but they charge a premium. A $16.99 toy, ordered from Amazon, might end up costing you more than double that amount when you add in one-day shipping charges of $16.99, plus an additional $1.99 a pound.
2. Don't Ship at All. Some gifts purchased online won't cost you a small fortune for shipping, since they don't have to be delivered at all. Take advantage of in-store pickup at chains such as Circuit City Stores and Target.
While considered a cop-out by some, gift cards and certificates mean the recipient gets exactly what he wants. Many sites, from Wal-Mart.com to Apple's iTunes, will e-mail the recipient the gift card, even if you buy it on Christmas day. You can visit GiftCertificates.com or Hallmark's gift certificate center, which also sells certificates that are redeemable at thousands of stores and even restaurants.
An added bonus of gift cards: You can trade them on Craigslist, CardAvenue, or eBay if nothing strikes your fancy. "Gift certificates are great for convenience," says Lauren Freedman, president of Chicago-based consultant E-Tailing Group. "No wonder three-fourths of Americans bought gift certificates the last holiday season."
Giving the gift of travel from sites such as Orbitz or Travelocity is another nice way to avoid big shipping charges.
3. You Better Shop Around. If you know what to buy, try to get a good deal by comparison shopping on mySimon.com, Shopping.com, and Shopzilla. Can't find what you're looking for on one site? Simply copy the name and item number on Google or another search engine, and see if other e-tailers have it in stock.
4. Shop Safe. Some crooks work hardest during the busy holiday season. So if you want to avoid any unpleasant surprises later, make sure your system doesn't have any spyware -- software that covertly gathers information and monitors your activity. Limit your online shopping to one credit card, so any damage is contained. And don't use your debit card, which might lead to a raid on your bank account.
5. Live in Manhattan. Bookseller Barnes & Noble often will deliver books the same day in New York City, except on Christmas.
When all else fails, don't forget that some of the best gifts are the ones you can't buy online -- or anyplace, for that matter.
