Christmas shopping tips from Visa

Christmas is the most exciting holiday for Filipinos. Many look forward to simbang gabi with relatives coming home for the holiday break, Noche Buena, gift-hunting and gift-giving. If coming up with the perfect gift for your loved ones worries you, imagine having to brave the crowded malls and bazaars to look for it. Visa has sent in shopping tips to make this gift-giving season a more hassle-free time for you. Check this out:

1. Plan ahead
          Planning will greatly cut down stress during a busy shopping day. Make a list of people you are buying give gifts for. Beside each name, write down a spending limit. This will constantly remind you to keep within your budget and will cut back your chances of overspending. According to the Visa Online Holiday Shopping Study in eight key online shopping markets across Asia Pacific, partners and spouses will be the lucky recipients of the most expensive Christmas gifts, with children, nieces and nephews coming a close second.

2. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash
          Less cash means less risk. Personal security can be enhanced by using Visa electronic payment methods such as debit, credit or prepaid cards. If cash is lost or stolen while you are busy with your Christmas shopping, it is gone forever. However Visa cards can be replaced with a quick call to your issuing bank.

3. Be aware of special rewards and offers
          Many banks offer special rewards and offers when you use your Visa card to purchase items in certain establishments. With these exclusive deals, you can maximize the use of your Visa card while shopping or dining. If you are a Visa Platinum cardholder, you can hold a mini Christmas reunion with your high school barkada at Mercado, Passion, Ginzadon, Noodle Works, Bar 360 or Cafe Au Lait in Resorts World Manila and enjoy a 25 percent discount on your bill.

4. Shop online
          If braving the crowds during the holiday season do not appeal to you, why not try shopping for gifts online? All you need is an Internet connection and your Visa card. Transactions are fast, easy and convenient. According to the regional Visa Online Holiday Shopping Study, respondents across Asia Pacific said that clothing  was the most popular intended online purchase (34 percent), followed by holiday accommodation (30 percent), airline tickets (29 percent) and bags (19 percent). Enjoying discounts (50 percent), avoiding holiday crowds at malls (37 percent), and choosing from a wider range of product offerings (38 percent) were the top reasons why respondents said they wanted to spend more online.

5. Keep important card details and emergency numbers in a safe and handy place
          Whether you are shopping online, in a local bazaar, or in a mall, if the unexpected happens, help is at hand. Shoppers should call their issuing bank or the Visa Global Customer Assistance Service (GCAS) immediately to cancel your Visa card and to organize quick replacements. A Visa payment card also carries zero liability protection against unauthorized purchases–a key security advantage over traveller’s cheques or cash.