Don’t let the boss catch you shopping at work Monday
I have to admit this made me laugh when I read it. At this time of year, I expect to get all sorts of pitches from companies offering advice on how to shop safely online, etc.
But I really didn’t expect to see this from Best Buy’s Geek Squad, offering tips on how to avoid getting caught by boss while shopping on Cyber Monday - of course, these tips would pretty much apply year-round.
So take notes and shop safely:
- Clear the cookies in the browser history so the boss can’t see what shopping sites you visited - just be careful with any stored usernames and password - clearing the cookies can clear out your browser’s entire memory!
- The ALT + Tab trick: Hold ALT down and hit the Tab button to scroll through all maximized screens. Release the ALT button once your preferred screen is up - whether it be to shop or to look like you are working on that year-end budget!
- Create a pay pal account to make purchases faster.
- Do your research online the night before - figure out where you want to buy from and make a list.
- Come in early, bookmark all your favorite sites and make your purchases during lunchtime.
- Keep multiple screens open at once to avoid the detection of being on a shopping/retail website.
- Angle your monitor away from the rest of the office if possible.


Tim has covered a wide range of topics, including tourism, crime, aviation and gambling, since becoming a reporter in 1990. The Oklahoma native joined the Post-Dispatch in 2007 after spending nine years in Orlando. In his spare time, he's often exploring one virtual world or another. He can be reached at tbarker@post-dispatch.com.
This is ridiculous. At this point, if your boss wants to know what you’re up to on the computer, all it takes is a call to the technology department.