The holiday shopping season is approaching, and retailers, online sellers, and e-commerce businesses selling products are amping up their operations to woo consumers and grow their bottom lines.

According to Deloitte, holiday retail sales are expected to increase between 2.3% and 3.3% this year. In 2023, holiday sales grew by 4.3% from November to January. 

Meanwhile, an American Express (Amex) Canada report on holiday gifting trends for 2024 published by Retail Insider suggests Canadians are eager to begin shopping this holiday season, with 19% already starting and increasing to 69% by November. Here’s additional good news from the Amex Canada data: 57% of Canadians actively seek out small businesses when purchasing holiday gifts.

With the busy shopping season upon us, here are three things retailers should do to be ready to minimize their liability risks: