With the festive season already in full swing consumers are most likely to turn to online stores to do their gift and Christmas shopping, says Oliver Facey, vice president operations for DHL Express sub-Saharan African.

According to Facey shopping online offers consumers access to a greater selection of products, and allows individuals to purchase products that may not yet be available in their own country.

However, he warns of the do's and don'ts of online shopping.

Consumers should also be aware of the regulations involved with purchasing from international retailers in order to avoid incurring additional expenses, he said.

Facey advises consumers on what to consider when buying from international e-retailers:

Be conscious of customs' import duties and taxes

Consumers are often caught off-guard when their shipments arrive from international retailers with unexpected additional charges. It is therefore imperative for consumers to be aware that they may have to pay customs duty for their online purchases, depending on the country that they are buying the goods from.

There are also e-retailers that offer Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) terms which clearly communicates that all costs, inclusive of the duties, taxes and clearance costs, are payable at checkout, to avoid any surprise costs at destination.

Regulations/restrictions on certain products

Some products are prohibited or have certain limitations when imported. These could be aviation restrictions - for example, flammable liquids are categorised as dangerous goods, therefore importing of perfume would be restricted. There may also be country specific restrictions - for example, on certain food or animal by-products.

Gifts are not necessarily exempted from duties and taxes

When purchasing online products as a gift, check on the receiving country's regulations to avoid the recipient being held liable for additional charges. For example, Customs Bureaus in Angola have legislated tax-free exemptions for gifts to an individual as long as the value is less than $350. In Zimbabwe, the limit is $50. This shows the varying limits for exemptions and demonstrates the importance of checking local regulations prior to making your online purchases.

Check delivery options and costs

Most websites offer a variety of delivery options, with associated costs. Make your decision by taking into account the cost of shipping, the expected transit times and the value of your order. For peace of mind, it is advisable to select a premium courier delivery option, where the delivery process can be tracked from dispatch to final delivery.

Use reputable e-retailer websites

Be sure to only make online purchases from websites that are well-known and reputable. Do not be fooled by websites with offers that may look enticing – if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

"Online shopping is definitely the way to go, from a convenience and cost saving point of view, so once consumers become familiar with their local regulations, they can really reap the rewards. We have seen a steady increase over the past couple of weeks as consumers took advantage of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals available online," Facey concludes.