November 28, 2014 
5 Comments 
It’s that time of the year again – the season to be jolly. But if facing the hoards of bargain-hungry shoppers, all trying to buy Christmas gifts at the last minute doesn’t appeal to you, there are alternatives to throwing yourself into the frenzied fray of festive ferals. The wonderful world of online shopping is an alternative to the Christmas ‘crazies’. And starting early will help you spread the cost.
Here are five of the best Australian websites for online Christmas shopping.
Deals Direct has over 10,000 products on offer, across a huge range of categories. The website also offers a 30-day ‘change of mind’ return policy, 100 per cent secure transactions (guaranteed by Norton) and super-fast delivery.
Top Buy has over 40,000 products on offer and it also offers a money-back guarantee on all items sold. With over 500,000 satisfied customers, Top Buy is a Google Trusted Store.
Looking to give something a little more substantial as a gift this year? Then Appliances Online may be the website for you. This online store offers great special deals, free next-day delivery, free removal and recycling, free connection, online support and a best-value guarantee.
Shopping Square is a 100 per cent Australian-owned company which has progressed from an eBay store to a stand-alone retail entity. Shopping Square keeps its prices low by continuously hunting down good bargains internationally and buying directly from manufacturers to cut out the middleman fees.
If you’re searching for something a bit quirkier for Christmas, then maybe Yellow Octopus is the site for you. This online store promotes itself as ‘Australia’s coolest gifts, gadgets and toys website’, and it offers $6 flat-rate shipping, or free shipping for orders over $100. It also guarantees three-hour delivery within Melbourne and an unbelievable 100-day money-back return policy.
It’s great to support ‘bricks-and-mortar’ stores, but if that support ends in a black eye from some crazy Christmas consumer hell-bent on a bargain, then maybe the online alternative is the safer, saner option. It’s best to start your online shopping early though, because no amount of money saved will make up for a missing gift come Christmas Day. And if you allow enough time for shipping, you should be able to save a bundle for the Boxing Day sales.
Do you like Christmas shopping, or would you prefer purchase your gifts online? Do you know of any good online stores from which to buy gifts? Why not share your thoughts?
Leon Della Bosca
Ben Hocking
Janelle Ward
Kate Broman
Liv Gardiner
Peter Leith
I had a bad experience with Deals Direct, I paid for two items and never got them.
When I enquired about it I was told that the items had not been charged for (a lie, I paid for them) and that they may have been out of stock at the time.
Whatever happened I never got my purchase and I lost my money.
If you want to check it the Reference number of my order is: 312842704542495
By the way this is the email I received from them after trying to find out where my order was after such a long time.
From: Customer Service
To: alexia
Sent: Monday, 30 May 2011 2:17 PM
Subject: [#EOV-211549]: my order
Hi Alex
Thanks for your email.
I am unable to locate any recent orders for the unit your referring to.
I can also see these have now sold out.
In the meantime, please let me know if there’s anything else I can help with.
Regards,
Sandy
DealsDirect.com.au ®
Love a bargain
DealMe.com.au ®
Experience It
SupermarketDeals.com.au
Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: EOV-211549
Department: Customer Service
without a delivery.
Here is the email:
Its a bit late now three years later but I wouldn’t have given up so quickly. Did you send evidence of your payment to them e.g. your credit card statement showing the debit? After that if you got no joy, I would have gone to Fair Trading and lodged a complaint with them. That usually prompts some action.
Sometimes things go wrong even in bricks and mortar stores and it is always unpleasant.
I know this is much later, but I did check it at the time and still it was no action taken to return my money or send the order to me. I just saw today in Life Choices that
Deals Direct is recommended as a trustworthy merchant and wanted to let everyone know what happened to me.
don’t be a sheep & ignore the xmas carnival ….over this time I go into my ‘cave’ & watch the
crazy crowd….very peacefull & I never have to say ‘thank you’ for unwanted presents talofa