What all Videographers ought to know about Black Friday Shopping Online

Videomaker by Jennifer O'Rourke

As a video producer you might not find your specialized gear at your corner electronics store, so you find yourself shopping online.

The proverbial Black Friday approaches, followed by Cyber Monday, and to get you into their establishments this year, many stores are starting their holiday bargains sooner than later - on Thanksgiving day or even earlier. Thanksgiving in the U.S. means football, family gathering and holiday shopping. The internet is wondrous place to shop but we often hit the "Buy Now" button with trepidation. Before you buy, check out Videomaker's tips on navigating cyberspace shopping this year.

According to comScore, a site that measures online sales, U.S. eCommerce was up 15% in the third quarter of this year, compared to last year. eCommerce, of course, is online shopping; and due to the lack of brick-and-mortar stores for our specialty toys, most video producers make at least one online purchase in their lifetime. Here are some Do's and Don'ts from some online shopping watchdogs, retailers and old-fashioned Common Sense.

16. DO: Buy through Companies You can Trust.
In this day and age this isn't as easy as talking to your trusted neighborhood mechanic. Videomaker has taken a stand against unscrupulous advertisers in the past - our reputation hinges on theirs - and we have dropped advertisers that we found to be operating deceptive sales practices. Some companies like Adorama, B&H Photo, Videoguys and a host of others have been with Videomaker almost since issue #1, and we trust and use them, too. Companies advertise to let you know about latest products and goods. Unfortunately the corrupt, exploitative, and shady companies also spend a lot of money on online advertising. Videomaker can't - and won't authenticate all of our advertisers, but we take complaints seriously.
Look for an "About Us" or "Our Guarantee" or other such link on a company's site that tells you exactly what you should expect from a purchase. The Videoguys site, for instance, is full of helpful information to guide you to the best buying decision and purchases come with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee and free tech support. read more...