NCRMA Releases Important Tips To Keep NC Shoppers Safe This Holiday Season

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According to the National Retail Federation, 2022 retail sales — specifically November-December holiday sales — will grow between 6% and 8% compared to 2021. Last week, SB 766, which aims to protect North Carolina businesses and customers from retail theft especially online became effective.

Today the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA) shared some important steps to help consumers shop smarter and safer this holiday season.

The following should give you pause when shopping online:

  • Prices that seem too good to be true. Chances are, they are.
  • Online shopping sites with spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Sites using a web-based email such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo instead of a company email account.
  • Asks for customers to share credit card information via email.
  • Overuse of words such as “genuine,” “real” or “authentic” in product descriptions.
  • The phrase “inspired by,” which can signal the item is fake.
    • An additional related tip — Always check a product manufacturer’s website, as many companies will post details to alert customers about possible counterfeit products and how to detect fakes.

When customers shop in person with North Carolina retailers this holiday season, not only can they avoid online fraud, but they’re also supporting the livelihood of North Carolina retailers and communities.

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