The decoration transition from Halloween to Christmas happens quickly for home, and if you’re already planning on hiring a company to hang your lights or create a Christmas display for you, KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro suggests you do your homework.
The National Retail Federation reports that holiday spending has increased by 45% over the last decade, and a sizable chunk of that is spent on home decoration. Big spending also attracts scammers.
Websites complete with sparkling, colorful images of holiday decorations are easy to find in your social media feeds or by searching for a specific Christmas item.
Customers every season have found the items that were so beautifully represented in online ads are a major disappointment - poorly manufactured and much smaller than you expected, practically a miniature version of that large decoration you thought you had bought.
Worst of all, you are left with no recourse. The company does not respond to your complaint, if you can even find a way to reach them and their refund policy is nonexistent.
Before you make purchases from flight by night companies check their contact information and if they have a mailing address. Also, deals that look too good to be true, likely are.
Finally, make purchases with a credit card. A credit card company allows you to dispute fraudulent charges.
Debit and gift cards may not have such protections.
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