First Things First

Tips for Shopping Safe

The holiday shopping season is in full effect, and we’re off to a good start.

A record 190 million Americans shopped last weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. The busiest day was Black Friday with 84 million shoppers going out to stores. Following that was Small Business Saturday with nearly 60 million shoppers – including some Chamber staff.

Shoppers also went online in a big way. They spent $9.4 billion online on Cyber Monday (up nearly 20% from last year) and $81.5 billion from November 1 through December 2, according to Adobe Analytics.

$143.8 billion is expected to be spent online this holiday season.

Unfortunately, this time of the year attracts scammers pushing fake goods. Not only can shoppers get ripped off, some counterfeit products could be dangerous.

How can you protect yourself? The U.S. Chamber’s Global Innovation Policy Center put together ten tips on how to avoid being scammed this holiday shopping season:

1. Trust Your Instincts.
   If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
   
   
2. Insist on secure transactions.
   When doing business online, make sure your payments are submitted via websites beginning with https:// (the “s” stands for secure) and look for a lock symbol at the bottom of your browser.
   
   
3. Watch for missing sales tax charges.
   Businesses trading in counterfeit goods often do not report their sales to financial authorities
   
   
4. Seek quality assurance in the secondary market.
   Reputable and reliable resellers have comprehensive inspection and authentication procedures and technicians to inspect the equipment they sell.
   
   
5. Be particularly careful purchasing medicine online.
   Reports suggest that 96% of online pharmacies do not meet safety or legal standards, so it is especially important that you remain vigilant when buying your medicines online.
   
   
6. Be vigilant when buying abroad.
   When shopping on international websites, look for trusted vendors that use identifiable privacy and security safeguards and have legitimate addresses.
   
   
7. Guard your personal information. 
   Illicit websites often install malware that can steal your credit card information and other information stored on your computer.
   
   
8. Scrutinize labels, packaging, and contents.
   Look for missing or expired “use by” dates, broken or missing safety seals, missing warranty information, or otherwise unusual packaging.
   
   
9. Report fake products.
   Report unsafe products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission by calling 800-638-2772 or by visiting their website. If you suspect you have received a fake, counterfeit, or substandard product, report it to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or to your local law enforcement.
   
   
10. Spread the word.
    Share these tips! Teach your family, friends, and coworkers about counterfeits.

Diving In

The Crock Pot is an American culinary institution, being a staple on buffets at holiday parties. Its inventor, Irving Naxon, first sold it in the 1950s, but it grew in popularity two decades later, as Smithsonian magazine explains:

When Naxon retired in 1970, he sold his business to Kansas City’s Rival Manufacturing for cash—marking a turning point in the Crock Pot’s history. By then, the Naxon Beanery was nearly forgotten, according to then-president Isidore H. Miller. As Rival integrated Naxon Utilities into its larger operations, its team of home economists were tasked with testing the Naxon Beanery’s versatility.

At Chicago’s 1971 National Housewares Show, Rival unveiled its newly rebranded version of the Naxon Beanery. Dubbed the Crock Pot, the appliance received a new name, refreshed appearance and a booklet of professionally-tested recipes. Home cooks eagerly brought their Crock Pots home, in distinctly ‘70s hues like Harvest Gold and Avocado. Advertising campaigns, along with word of mouth, drove sales from $2 million in 1971 to an astounding $93 million four

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Caught My Eye

Small business owners report record confidence in the economy. The latest MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index increased this quarter to 71.3, up 0.6 points.

The Big Picture

Live from the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Christina Koch welcomed attendees to the U.S. Chamber’s 2nd Annual Space Summit, LAUNCH: The Space Economy.

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To Play Us Out

Initially a political statement, Steve Miller’s studio wizardry turned “Fly Like an Eagle,” into the classic we know today. 

Have a song recommendation? Please email me.

Please forward this newsletter to a friend. And don’t forget to send me your tips and comments. Also, keep up with latest business policy issues by bookmarking Above the Fold and following @seanhackbarth and @uschamber on Twitter.