Shopping online is no joke. There’s no limit to what you can buy and there are some serious bargains to be found, but you still need to be careful with your money, says Christina Goggi.

We’ve come a long way since the days when bargaining for a pair of shoes at the local market was the only way to a good deal. The internet is now widely used across various demographics and has quickly become a shopping tool for a large number of consumers. Shopping online is becoming easier every day and the wide variety of products, consumer advice, product reviews, and in some cases, significantly reduced price tags, are strong incentives for bargain-minded people.

Beyond the first week of December you’ll be risking it

Local retailers are suffering because consumers increasingly opt to shop online, and in some cases, aren’t even aware of how much of a threat the internet poses to their business. What local retailers may not yet be fully aware of either is that online shopping could be an opportunity for them to catch on with the trend.

At the right price, there may well be interest among local consumers to shop online from local retailers, with the promise of much faster delivery and better after-sales service and warranty. In fact, a few local electronics and computer retailers have set up online shops and are offering competitive prices compared to those offered online within Europe.

For those of you who have yet to shop online on a regular basis, here are a few things to keep in mind and try out.

With Christmas approaching, most of us are thinking ahead of shopping lists and you might be able to snag a bargain online. In December, the postal service suffers due to the volume of items posted for the Christmas season, so don’t leave it till the last minute to avoid disappointing your loved ones, or yourself (by having to rush for a last-ditch attempt at getting a decent Christmas present). Ordering from within the EU in late November usually means you’re still safe, though beyond the first week of December you’ll be risking it, so get clicking.

Do you have a smartphone and are already savvy when it comes to shopping online? Look for a barcode scanner app, available on Apple’s App Store and Android’s Market. It allows you to scan the barcode of any product and look up the prices available online for a quick comparison. Think you might be getting ripped off? Now you’ll know.

Another handy tip for shopping online is the forwarding service to sites such as Forward2me.com. They allow you to ship your online purchases to them, and then will forward your items to you at an additional shipping fee.

This is by no means a cheap option for postal delivery – however, it’s handy for when you’re desperate to purchase an item from an online shop which doesn’t ship directly to Malta.

Let’s see what a few local e-shopaholics say about shopping online.

Sarah Zammit Testa

Why do you shop online?

There’s a much wider choice online. When shopping online you’re not just tied to what the stores around your area supply, but you’re open to many more options – this certainly makes shopping online fun. The vast choice allows you to compare prices and find the best bargains. This is another reason why I shop online – I can quickly compare prices of items carried in tens of stores, enabling me to get the best deal.

What can we usually find in your online shopping cart?

Clothes and shoes. I’m a shoe-shopaholic, but my wide feet make finding funky shoes a bit of a challenge in Malta, so I tend to buy most of my shoes online. I also buy clothes online, because I tend to find better deals and a much wider choice in my size. But I also buy things to decorate my home, and even toys for my cat.

Which sites do you usually visit when shopping online?

The first place I go to is usually eBay – I manage to find a variety of items there at really good prices. I’ve managed to buy brand new shoes at under €5, among other bargains. Igigi.com, Yoursclothing.com and Asos.com are my favorite e-shops for clothes.

Why do you choose to shop online over shopping locally?

Primarily because of the larger choice available and the prices. Moreover, online I’m able to look up reviews of products I’m about to buy to check out other customers’ experiences, enabling me to make a better shopping decision.

What type of products do you buy online?

I buy clothes, shoes, pet toys, books, electronics, kitchenware – but mostly clothes. Online shopping came in very handy when I was planning my wedding – I bought my wedding invitations, favour boxes, ribbon and even my headpiece online.

Is there anything you dislike about shopping online?

Some online stores do not ship to Malta, which is irritating when you come across something you need.

Are there any products you would recommend not buying online, but rather locally?

I wouldn’t buy anything which incurs a lot of shipping costs – this tends to happen when buying large items – because it would also be a big hassle to have to send the item back if you need to return it.

Do you buy within or outside Europe?

Both really – however, I tend to buy within Europe mostly because shipping costs from the US are more expensive.

Any major disasters when shopping online?

I have had the odd mishap, but it’s been more the exception rather than the rule. Once, a package from the US got lost in the post, though I managed to get a refund for that.

Any tips for Christmas shopping?

Start shopping early. Package delivery in December usually experiences heavy delay, so if you want to do some Christmas shopping online, try ordering things by the end of November to be on the safe side.

Where are the best bargains?

You can get bargains from pretty much most sites online. Before checking out run a search on google.com to find discount codes for the shop you’re searching from – this way, you can usually find vouchers to let you save some money on your order.

Gilbert Zammit

Why do you shop online?

I’m never satisfied with the stock Maltese shops sell. Also, most of the time the items are too expensive when compared with online prices.

What can we usually find in your online shopping cart?

Clothes, guitars, cameras – it depends what I need at that particular time in my life.

Which sites do you usually visit when shopping online?

Amazon.com, eBay.com, calumet.com, overstock.com and asos.com, to name a few as they’re all secure and have excellent service, including shipping.

Is there anything you dislike about shopping online?

The only restrictions I find are the fact that you cannot try on the stuff you’re buying and that you have to wait for ­delivery.

Are there any products you would recommend not buying online, but rather locally?

No.

Do you buy within Europe or outside?

I buy from both Europe and the US.

Any major disasters when shopping online?

I’ve never had any problems when shopping online.

Any tips for Christmas shopping?

Hide your Visa number.

Where are the best bargains?

Compare prices and never exclude shipping and taxes – that’s part of your total cost. Some sites hide this and leave it for the very final step when checking out. Subscribe to newsletters so you’ll know when your item will be on sale, and if you can wait for discounts.

Lara Boffa

Why do you shop online?

If there’s one thing I always advocate, it is originality and individuality. Shopping online allows me to find more unique fashion pieces.

Malta is so small and the variety of clothing available locally is so restricted, so everyone wears, more or less, the same things. Moreover, I don’t find many pieces that I can incorporate into my style.

What can we usually find in your online shopping cart?

I have a soft spot for blazers and ­jackets. Accessories also usually make it to my shopping cart because they look so pretty I can’t resist them.

Which sites do you usually visit when shopping online?

I like asos.com, boohoo.com and newlook.co.uk. These are my favourite sites because, first and foremost, they are some of the few which ship to Malta.

Unfortunately other sites I visit regularly do not ship here. They also organise their products into specific categories, which makes the shopping experience much easier and more fun.

Moreover, prices are reasonable and there are regular sale and special offers I appreciate.

Why do you choose to shop online rather than locally?

To avoid looking like practically everyone else and to find pieces that better suit my style.

What type of products do you buy online?

Clothing and costume jewellery. I also buy accessories for my gadgets off eBay – most of these are sold at ridiculously high prices over here.

Is there anything you dislike about shopping online?

Since I mostly buy clothes, I miss having the opportunity of taking clothes into a fitting room and trying them on. Most of the time, you just have to pray that the size you order fits properly.

Even if you order something in your usual size, the fit may vary due to the material, so it might not look good when you try it on. You get used to it eventually, especially if you buy regularly from the same website. You get used to the sizes and type of fabrics.

Are there any products you would recommend not buying online, but rather locally?

I’ve never bought shoes online because of sizes. Shoe sizes can vary so much even in the same shop, so I don’t recommend buying them online.

Do you buy within or outside Europe?

It depends. Unless I have to pay ­sky-high rates for taxes and shipping when I buy something from outside Europe, I’m fine with buying it. When the taxes and shipping cost more than the product itself, then I don’t buy it.

Any major disasters when shopping online?

The first time I shopped online was during Christmas. Little did I know that postage systems worldwide are literally jammed during the festive period. I ordered all of my Christmas presents online, along with my Christmas Eve and my New Year’s Eve dresses and they never made it on time.

I didn’t want to leave my friends without their presents, mostly because they were so kind to give me theirs on time, so I had to buy them presents from local stores. The online order eventually arrived in mid-January.

Any tips for Christmas shopping?

Order your items as early as you can, preferably before December. If you plan on buying Christmas presents, then have a plan B just in case the presents don’t arrive on time.

Where are the best bargains?

Asos.com is my favourite website for bargains on clothes. Discounts are announced on its Facebook fan page, Twitter and its e-mail subscription service, so I suggest following it over there too.

Newlook.co.uk also does regular mark-downs and boohoo.com constantly has a clearance sales section.

Ms Goggi is an English graduate currently working as a web marketing copywriter.