Only 3 in 10 Greeks will make more purchases this year than in previous years during the festive season, including Black Friday, while 4 out of 10 plan to leave their shopping until the last minute to take advantage of possible discounts.
At the same time, the 60% of Greeks seem not to be bothered by the adverse conditions, carrying out their Christmas shopping as usual, but almost half will reduce their available budget by at least a third or more due to economic constraints brought about by the pandemic COVID-19.
These are the findings of a survey by digital security company Kaspersky.
Regarding the social aspect of this year's holiday shopping, according to the survey, almost 1 in 3 said they will do the majority of their Christmas shopping in smaller shops this year to support the local businesses during the pandemic.
Another aspect that seems to be affected by the situation is the nature of shopping, as 4 out of 10 Greek consumers intend to do their holiday shopping online, as long as this is not a one-way street due to the pandemic containment measures. This situation, as noted, also raises the need for more vigilance against attempts at online deception and cyber attacks by digital criminals.
As it turns out, a large proportion of Greeks seem suspicious of such malicious actions, as 61.6% say they are aware of the potential security risks of unknown brands offering big discounts that may turn out to be scams, while almost half say that if a store's website does not look legitimate, they will immediately leave it and visit a brand they have bought from in the past to be sure. Specifically regarding the holiday season, 4 in 10 are not willing to share their personal information with online stores to receive a large discount, while nearly the same percentage (37.6%) say they are aware that scams are more prevalent during the discount/holiday seasons and are not willing to take the risk for a large discount.
«Given the difficult year we have had, any opportunities or significant discounts will be very tempting as many will be looking to make the most of the festive season. However, we encourage consumers to be cautious and think about the data they deliver online in an attempt to get a bigger discount. Consider whether it is absolutely necessary to share your personal details for every purchase and, if it isn't, then it's a ploy to entice you to disclose your data. By ensuring deals are genuine before making any purchases, consumers can reduce the risk of potential pitfalls and enjoy Christmas,» comments Naveed Em, principal security researcher at Kaspersky.
«Shop online with confidence this Christmas, following our tips to avoid being scammed» the company advises:
* Make your purchases only at legitimate online stores. It is always safer to type in the address yourself or select it from your bookmarks instead of clicking on a link. Also, use your browser's address bar to check if the site you are visiting is genuine and secure.
* Complete your purchases with secure payment methods. Pay with credit cards or strong payment services to purchase goods so that transactions remain protected.
* Verify discounts. If you receive a discount via email or message, check that the sender and any links are legitimate before clicking.
* Keep your device's software and apps up to date and protect all your devices with a reliable online security product.
* Manage your passwords. Password managers can help you shop from various online stores by securely storing your details so they are unique for all your online accounts.
