GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Better Business Bureau has some tips to avoid throwing money down the drain when buying for Mother’s Day.
It turns out that all the flowers, chocolates, gift cards, and monthly subscriptions add up.
Susan Bach, with the Better Business Bureau, says consumers are going to spend around $1 billion more this year for the holiday than they did last year.
“People spending money on Mother’s Day purchases will reach a record $25 billion,” says Bach.
If you do the math that equates to roughly $200 spent by each person.
Officials with the Better Business Bureau say that if you’re going to spend that much money, you want to be certain that you have a “plan B” if things don’t go as planned.
Bach says monthly subscriptions to a wine-of-the-month club, for example, are becoming more popular every year and bring with them some potential risks.
“They can’t get a hold of customer service, things are not delivered or delivered late,” she says are some common complaints that they receive. “So customer service is really a big issue.”
That doesn’t mean consumers should shy away from monthly subscriptions all together, but rather take your dodillagence and read customer reviews online to ensure that the business is reputable.
Additionally, it’s a good idea with any purchase this week to take the time to read other individuals reviews online prior to shelling out some serious money.
“Take the time to do your dodillagence if you’re shopping for a present for your mom,” explains Bach. “Because all florists, all online retailers, are not the same.”
Florists are obviously busy around this time, but there is a strategy when contempleting where to buy flowers from, according to the Better Business Burea.
“If possible, try to purchase flowers from a local florist in your mother’s hometown,” says Bach. “Online national chains use local florists to fulfill their orders, but may charge you for the service.”
One area where a lot of people get burned is with buying jewelry.
“First of all you want to make sure that you’re checking the businesses refund and exchange policy in case it’s the wrong size or just something that mom doesn’t like so much,” she says.
When buying gift cards, Bach says most are non-refundable and it’s important to read the fine print in case it’s something you’re unsure that mom will like.
