Last-Minute Shopping Don'ts

If you've waited until the last minute, don't try to get anything customized, and be prepared to deliver large items yourself

If you’re shopping at the last minute, be prepared to brave the crowds, and keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid large, bulky items. Gifts like home appliances, large-screen TVs and furniture may sound great, but it’s too late to have them shipped.

So unless shoppers are prepared to cart them to the recipient personally – and install them over the holiday – large presents may be more trouble than they’re worth.

• Similarly, customized gifts present too many traps a day before the holiday. Engravers, for example, may not be able to get their work done on time – or worse, there will be no time to correct any errors. The same is true for monograms and other personalized features.

• Online shopping is great if you have the time – but considering that it’s already Christmas Eve, there’s no way that the gifts will arrive by Tuesday’s holiday.

One exception: some online sites allow shoppers to order electronically, then pick up their purchases at a brick-and-mortar store. That’s an option that could actually cut down on the last minute hassle – if the online site moves quickly enough to allow for same-day pickup.
 

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