While shopping is a large part of the holiday experience, entertaining and visiting with family and friends is just as important. Consumers can cut down the time they spend fighting the crowds at the local mall or navigating through traffic jams by shopping from the comfort of their home with their favorite companies online. And, since the Internet is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they don't have to worry about the stores closing. Peak online shopping hours tend to be late morning to early afternoon. Think of the Internet as a worldwide mall.
Consumers can have the luxury of buying items they'd never find at their local shopping center.
Plus, prices can be lower online than in the stores, with many websites offering significant discounts. Just like in stores, you sometimes have to hunt to find the real bargains online. Some consumers remain unsure and uncomfortable about entering credit card and other personal information online. Shopping on the Internet is safe if consumers take a few simple safety steps. SSL encrypts or scrambles the information as it is sent over the Internet.