College News at StudentStuff.com

Avoiding the Crowds: How to Be a Smart Online Holiday Shopper

Christmas time – that magic time of year. Looking forward to a long break from school and wondering how wonderful it will be to see family and friends, open up presents, give presents… wait, is there time for a college student to shop for presents?

Yes, it is a little late in the month to be bringing up this question; however, for most students, school has just recently finished with finals, which means that quite a few students have probably held off their Christmas shopping until the last minute.

For myself, I remember carrying five classes a semester, which would keep me busy at least six days out of the week, which left little time for socializing, let alone shopping in December. The average, studious college student is not only taking a full load of units, but is often working part-time in the process, which rarely leaves little time to dilly dally or enjoy very much of the holiday season.

Once the finals are finally over though, students are free to plan their break, spend time with their loved ones, and get their shopping done. Unfortunately, by this time of the month malls are crowded and scary. Although you would like to kick yourself for not shopping at least a month earlier, you realize that the return policy on most items is 30 days, which could put a damper on things when you realize you bought the same book for your aunt that your mother got.

So, shopping in December seems to be the only choice for most of us. Just imagining the fierceness of the crowds at this point is enough to make me shudder. But there is a solution to all of this – online shopping!

It would be preferable to order presents a week before, so you wouldn’t have to worry about speed-rushing the delivery of any items, yet if you are using Amazon or eBay, than you are bound to find gifts at a reasonable price in the first place, so the shipping shouldn’t pinch your wallet too much.

Last year, I did all of my Christmas shopping online. It was fun, it was quick, and it was definitely stress-free. Things are made even easier if you have friends or family members who carry a wish list on Amazon. Just click and buy. Searching solved.

Even when I couldn’t figure out what to buy someone, I just searched some random ideas and eventually found gifts that would suit family members who usually required several trips to the mall before I could find something they liked. I had saved myself hours of shopping time by just searching online. No crowds, no hectic parking lots, no tired feet, and no heavy bags to drag through the mall. I believe there are even some places online that offer to wrap your items for you at an extra charge, though I am perfectly happy wrapping my own gifts.

There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping online though. One: make sure to check where the item is coming from, so you know how long it will take to ship. Two: check the small details about the item  – sizes, different colors, and customer comments. Three: be sure you are shopping with a reputable source, so you do not just give your credit card number to some shady vendor who could possibly screw you over. Four: have fun but try not to get addicted; online shopping can be hard to stop once you start the habit.

Not all college students have to deal with the difficulties and woes I speak of. I am merely sympathizing with those who do have to deal with last minute shopping. For those of you who are having a rough start this winter break, I hope you eventually have a very merry Christmas, and carry high hopes for the New Year.