For 11 months of every year, I am without doubt, a dedicated lover of shopping. During my lunch breaks, you'll often find me wandering through a nearby department store, sandwich in hand. On the weekends, I'll likely be searching the stores of my local markets and fairs. Come December however, it's an entirely different story. The time of year generally connected with joy and cheer can be unbelievably stressful. From buying Christmas presents to ransacking grocery stores in preparation for family gatherings, December is a month that traditionally includes spending a lot of time and money in overcrowded shopping centers and supermarkets. What's worse than this pre-Christmas rush are the sales that happen in its wake. Every year in Britain, Canada and Australia, Boxing Day sales bring thousands of shoppers to malls and department stores. Attracted by the promise of impressive price reductions, some people start lining up outside stores the night before sales even begin. This year, during the US' post-Thanksgiving "Black Friday" sales, 20 were injured after a woman, too eager for a discounted Xbox video game, squirted pepper spray  inside a Walmart. It's madness like this that has now driven me to the world of online shopping. Not only can I avoid having my personal space invaded by crowds of crazy shoppers, but nowadays, most brands and online stores offer their own sales and special deals. Say goodbye to human rushes and bad department store music. While websites like eBay are great for general items and secondhand goods, the Internet now offers a huge variety of specialty stores . For clothes and accessories, ASOS.com (UK) and Shopbop.com (US) are personal favorites. Both of these offer a range of great designers, discounted prices and free worldwide shipping. In terms of brand-name makeup and beauty products, strawberrynet.com (US) is my go-to site, with its large collection and heavily reduced prices. When shopping online, it's important to stick to safe websites, so be sure to read the privacy and safety policies before making any buying. When paying, I prefer using third party services, like those provided by PayPal, to make sure my financial details remain secret. Also, if you're looking to buy your Christmas presents online, it's best to keep in mind the shipping time needed. The last thing you want is for your brother's jacket to arrive a week into January. Ks5u According to the author what might happen when shopping online?
The goods you buy might arrive too late. The prices online might be actually higher. Websites cannot keep your financial details secret. You have to use third party services when paying.