There’s a few things to remember as you head out to begin your Christmas shopping. Debra Moore with the consumer protection division of the Iowa Attorney General’s office says keep your receipts to prevent any problems. Moore says most stores anymore give you a gift receipt to make it easier for you to return things. Moore says the receipt is important to document your purchase and avoid any problems. She says there’s no state law requiring stores to take back merchandise and give a refund or credit. She says they recommend that stores post their policies, and she says as a buyer you should find out the policy before you buy, to avoid any problems in the end. Some people avoid the crowds by shopping on their computer. Moore says there are some things you need to worry about when buying on-line. Moore says you have to be careful of buying on-line and shop with reputable companies and know who they are. She says if you only have a website address, you may not be able to find the company if there’s a problem. Moore says to look for the keys to make sure the website is secure. She says you’ll see HTTPS in the web address and you’ll see a padlock, and a pop-up that says the information will be secure. Moore says your payment method on-line is also important. She says pay by credit card versus using a check, as she says then you can go through the credit card company if there’s a problem. She says that’s the same thing with mail-order shopping. For more information you can surf to the Attorney General’s website at:: www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.org.
