How To Not Spoil The Surprise When Buying Gifts Online

Overall, 2023 holiday sales are expected to reach an estimated $1.2 trillion worldwide. Thrilling, right?

Imagine the excitement of finding the perfect gift online, buying it, and knowing someone we love will get a wonderful surprise. And in all this… how can we avoid spoiling it? 

After all, our digital trail can tell on us. In this quick guide, we share how to ensure that holiday surprises stay a secret and that our loved ones don’t accidentally see what we’ve got for them. 

1. Clean Up Your Browser History

The browser’s history can potentially out our gifting plans because everything we’ve searched for will be right there. 

The solution is pretty simple: browse in incognito mode and avoid having your search history on display for everyone to see. 

Here are a few more tips to consider in the same vein: 

• Activate incognito browsing on Chrome or Firefox.
• Set up private browsing on Safari or Microsoft Edge.
• Clear your cookies and cache to ensure you leave no trace of your search history behind.

You can add browser extensions that improve privacy by blocking tracking ads and other scripts. This way, your gift-hunting online won’t show up. 

2. Use An Alternative Email

Imagine that a simple email notification can spoil the surprise you want to give. I’ve been there, and it’s not great, even if the other person is happy anyway. 

To prevent this from happening, you can use an alternative email address, something you don’t frequently share or associate with your phone. You can also make a new account exclusively for gift-purchasing. 

Research shows that the average spending of British households in December is 29% higher than the rest of the year. If you want to be extra secretive, set up email filters that will not show the gift notifications on your main inbox. It can be a little extra work, but you’ll prevent people from knowing their Christmas surprises before time! 

3. Discreet Packaging Is A Must

The perfect gift might not be hard to find, but the packaging might give it all away if they see it. 

You can choose stealthy packaging options during checkout at some online stores or arrange for the package to arrive at a nearby pickup spot. 

There, you can pick it up and hide it away wherever you want. 

If you’re still worried someone might find their gift, ask the company if they can package it discreetly. Some companies offer this service exactly for your situation. 

If you want to be extra careful, you can include a note specifying that this is a surprise and the packaging shouldn’t give away the contents of it. 

4. Coordinate The Delivery Date

All surprises are about the same thing: timing. 

Arrange the delivery date for when you’re around and not the person you want to surprise. 

Additionally, you could try out these things: 

• Give the mail company-specific delivery instructions, such as leaving the package with a neighbour or at a pickup spot.
• Pay attention to the delivery status and be prepared to intercept if the person is around. You could even reroute it if necessary.
• Choose a delivery option that requires your signature, and make sure the package isn’t unattended for hours on end.

5. Don’t Share Your Devices For A While

If you’re sharing devices with the person you intend to surprise on Christmas, stop it for a few weeks. Sharing is caring, yes, but not right now. 

Lock your devices via passwords or with fingerprint or face recognition. Even better, 

Sharing may be caring, but not when it threatens to spoil surprises inadvertently. Try VPN for free here and hide all your online activities. 

Also, consider using a different profile or user account on the devices you share to keep your search history private. If you create individual accounts, your gifting activities remain secret as intended. 

To Sum Up

The delight of pulling off a good surprise with someone you love is beyond measure. 

If you apply these strategies, you’ll have an easier time doing it. So, prepare yourself, consider your options, and get to gifting!