Holiday

How the Pandemic Changed the 2021 Holiday Shopping Season | Economy

By Keisha P. Crabtree 4 months ago

There was a time when online shopping was an inexpensive and effective way to find obscure merchandise and avoid a trip to the store. Then the coronavirus struck and turned the web into a way for homebound consumers to purchase life’s necessities.

E-commerce became a lifeline rather than a luxury and never more so than during the 2021 holidays. But as online shopping became ubiquitous, some of its earlier benefits disappeared, chief among them lower prices.

An analysis of online shopping trends during the 2021 Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday spending season by Adobe Digital Insights released Wednesday found that inflation has caught up with the web, as prices rose 3.5% in November from a year earlier and 3.1% annually in December. That was driven by demand, as consumers spent $204.5 billion during the 2021 holiday season, up 8.6% year over year.

Cartoons on the Coronavirus

“Everyone was in front of

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5 tips to help seniors avoid scams this holiday season |

By Keisha P. Crabtree 5 months ago

Online shopping has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and as the U.S. braces for the unknowns of the omicron variant, its popularity is expected to continue this year.

Experts warn that an uptick in scams may follow.

“Fraud is really like a crime of opportunity,” said Victoria Funes, associate state director for AARP Florida. “More traffic creates more available victims for people who are phishing for your dollars.”

Seventy-five percent of adults say they’ve been targeted by or experienced at least one form of fraud, according to a survey from the AARP

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BBB Tips: Holiday online shopping

By Keisha P. Crabtree 6 months ago

As the economy continues to rebound from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Retail Federation predicts holiday spending will set new records this year, coming in between $843.5 billion and $850 billion. For the sake of both safety and convenience, many Americans will spend those funds with online retailers.

Shopping online may save time and money, but it also could save lives during this COVID-19 holiday season. Better Business Bureau (BBB) reminds shoppers to be careful when shopping online. Fraudsters can separate shoppers from their money or steal their personal information. Additionally, even though many people are shopping early, supply chain challenges mean some companies may not be able to deliver gifts in time for the holidays.

While the vast majority of online retailers are reliable, some are not. As online shopping has skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021, so has the number of complaints to BBB about online

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Trendy Fashion Accessories For Men This 2021 Holiday Season

By Keisha P. Crabtree 6 months ago

FLEUR’D PINS:

In this holiday gift guide for men, I will be featuring on-trend men’s accessories selected by myself and my fashion editor Pasquale Suriano. Our aim is to make your shopping as streamlined as possible while shopping. More to my point, the selections featured below are what men need and want to roll into the new year.

As a luxury fashion journalist allow me to be blunt; I don’t fancy gimmicky gifts as they tend to stray from the spirit of Christmas and the Holidays— where people take time in choosing heartfelt gifts for family and loved ones. Nothing expresses feelings more than a meaningful gift.

Needless to say, there is change in the air. And overall, men have changed their style in ways that align with modern times. In short, fashion and related industries

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