Christmas shoppers urged to be vigilant when online - and to check out local retailers as well as internet giants

With the annual pre-Christmas shopping frenzy well underway, Glyn Roberts of Retail NI said people could be pleasantly surprised if they try their local stockists for products before automatically following web search links to potentially harmful sites.

On Monday, Amazon.co.uk said that bogus “order confirmation” messages was one of the most prevalent scams doing the rounds.

A message to customers said: "These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that often refer to an unauthorised purchase and ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel the purchase. These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information, install software to your computer/device, or purchase gift cards.”

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said many local retailers had “upped their game” during the Covid pandemic and were now able to compete with the online retail giants – while at the same time providing a trusted name to do business with.

"During and following the pandemic many independent retailers had to use online more effectively – many of them had to learn to do ‘click and collect’.

"We have seen many of those businesses now up their game quite significantly in terms of their online presence,” he said.

Mr Roberts said he thinks people will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and range of what can be purchased from local retailers online.

"Quite often you are getting different, distinctive, locally made products that you won’t be able to get on Amazon or any of the other big online retail companies.”

Mr Roberts also said he hoped that Christmas shoppers will continue to support local businesses, whether in person or online, as they struggle with the aftermath of the pandemic, a “cost of doing business crisis” due to spiralling energy costs and “the highest business rates in the UK.”

Damien Doherty, of NI Trading Standards Service, said: "Consumer legislation is there to protect us when things do not go to plan, and our Consumerline team is on hand to help with free, practical, and impartial advice.

"If you need advice, guidance or support please call Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 or log on to their website.”