-- Employees up-selling at checkout. Up-selling means they try to get you to buy more stuff. If you go to the store with a list and a vow to stick to it, you can resist this sales tactic. Be strong. Remember your budget.
-- Pushing a store credit card. On this one you definitely need to be strong. In this economy, the typical 10 percent discount offered when opening an account can be a big temptation. Resist. Applying for the card will trigger an inquiry to a credit bureau, and that in turn lowers your credit score. So it's important you limit the opening of new credit in order to optimize your all-important credit score. High credit scores often translate into better rates on the money you borrow.
-- Mail-in rebates. It's so frustrating to get excited about an item on sale only to realize the discount is tied to a rebate. Since this sales strategy isn't likely to go away, don't procrastinate. As soon as you get home from the store, mail in the rebate.
-- Store personnel checking your receipt as you exit the store. I hate this practice. It just makes you feel like you're a thief, and so soon after you've paid for your goods. Still, I understand the reasons for the practice and why only 26 percent of those polled were bothered by it. The retail industry will lose an estimated $2.7 billion in fraudulent returns this holiday season and an estimated $9.6 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Ninety-three percent of retailers said stolen merchandise has been returned to their stores in the past year, up from 88.9 percent in 2008.
For more holiday shopping advice, go to www.consumerreports.org or visit www.consumerist.com.
I know there are hardworking, often underpaid people staffing retail outlets doing their best to serve with a smile and no attitude. Nonetheless, we're spending our hard-earned dollars, and retailers should do what they can to avoid annoying us.