Friday, December 19, 2003

PCWorld.com - Tips for Last-Minute E-Shopping:
Retailers offer to ship later than ever--for a price.

"This year, online stores are pushing back holiday shopping deadlines, allowing customers to order products later than ever while still guaranteeing delivery by December 24. Most sites will let you order right up until December 22 for delivery by Christmas Eve.

But this last-minute convenience won't come cheap--and if you're expecting free shipping, forget it. And the later you are, better chance something could go wrong. Still, if you're a procrastinator at heart, it's not too late to avoid the malls and do your holiday shopping online."

Online retailers, in general, have become much better at honestly assessing whether they can deliver products by a certain date, says Patti Freeman-Evans, a retail analyst with Jupiter Research.

In 1999, the Federal Trade Commission sued seven sites for violating the Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise rule. This requires retailers to have a reasonable basis for any shipping promise they make, and to promptly notify customers of any delay. The FTC continues to monitor online retailers each year, reminding sites that promise fast shipping that they are required to deliver. But since 1999, the industry has seen vast improvement, says Joel Brewer, an FTC attorney.

Customers have noticed that improvement, Freeman-Evans says, making them more comfortable with shopping online, even for last-minute purchases.

"They've been online longer. They've shopped online in the past. They've used these sites and gotten their merchandise delivered when they expected it to be delivered. They trust these retailers," she says. "Last year, consumers were very happy with the performance of online retailers and their ability to ship on time."

So this year, consumers are willing to shop later than ever, taking advantage of later shipping deadlines--deadlines that could be risky for retailers.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,113919,00.asp

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