10 tips for safe online shopping
The Internet has changed the way we shop for clothes. Many people have found the convenience of shopping online to be a great experience. You can easily click and view the product. You have fun buying, browsing, reading and learning about the products. And you don’t have to take time out of your busy schedule to fight traffic, crowds and lines to shop for the perfect gift for your recipient.
Not surprisingly, the Internet business generated $301 billion in revenue last year, according to an estimate from the University of Texas.
If you compare online shopping to offline shopping, you’d think that when it comes to security, you’d favor offline shopping, right? Not really.
In the past, shoppers were more reluctant to shop online; now things have changed a lot. And that trust in consumers directly reflects the tremendous growth in online sales.
I have a friend who took his wife out for a romantic evening at a local restaurant. The last place you would expect credit card fraud to occur. By the time he realized he had been double charged for dinner, it was too late to go back to the restaurant. He called me and we concluded that it must be a mistake. We later found out that the restaurant owner’s reputation was a bit shaky. Apparently, he frequently overcharged customers hoping they wouldn’t notice.
I don’t know. It’s a funny world we live in.
Does this mean the Internet is safe? Relatively yes, but don’t forget, the Internet is an open field and there are some bad elements out there.
We have been buying online for years. We never had a problem with credit card fraud on the Internet. But again, we always take precautions. From now on, you will see 10 checkpoints that online merchants must go through to secure our business…
Will your credit card details be secure?
Reputable online businesses know that one of the things that stops customers from ordering from them is that they aren’t sure if their credit card details will be safe. Responsible companies have taken this concern into account and have configured their systems to provide the customer with maximum security.
How would you know if you are entering your payment details on a secure page?
You should see an image of a padlock at the bottom right of the screen. This lock will appear on the page you complete when ordering and ensures that your name, address and credit card information is sent to the online store via an encrypted code. This encrypted code means that a hacker will not be able to steal your credit card information.
Does the online store value your privacy and confidentiality?
Before the days of the Internet, when I used to order something from a mail order company, they would mysteriously send me advertisements from companies I hadn’t done business with. I didn’t know at the time that companies sold your personal information for advertising purposes to other companies.
Getting spam was annoying, but because of the cost involved, it didn’t happen all the time. Now imagine doing business online with a company that doesn’t respect your privacy and sells your email address.
The next time you open your email software, you’ll be bombarded with emails ranging from a dozen to hundreds. That’s not annoying, it’s intolerable.
So the moral of the story here, make sure your email address doesn’t get sold. Make sure the online store has a privacy statement stating that they will keep your personal data in the strictest privacy and confidentiality.
Does the online store have contact information?
You might of course think that an online store would display your contact details on their website. You would be surprised. I was. No email address, nothing. This is a sure red flag.
Reputable companies will have contact details.
Do you have a refund policy?
Offline stores have a refund policy and you go into the store, physically select the product and then you can return it for any reason. If a refund policy is important in offline stores, it is twice as important for online stores.
The convenience of the internet trumps the offline world when it comes to shopping, but one thing it can’t match is that offline you can physically touch the product. So a 30 day refund policy is great, more is better. There is no refund policy and I would stay away.
Do they send you some kind of confirmation when you place your order?
When you place your order what you need is something to tell you that they have received it, a receipt if you want.
A reputable company will email you one or display a new page on their website where they will thank you and tell you that the order was successful and your product is on its way.
When do they deliver?
What time do you deliver during the day? Do they deliver on weekends? Can you choose a time for your gift to be delivered? Will it be personally delivered to the intended recipient or will the courier drop it off at your doorstep?
How will your gift arrive?
If it’s flowers, will it come with a vase or in a pretty box or wrapped? Will your bouquet contain flower care instructions? How about a flower food to make your flowers last longer?
If you have ordered another gift product, will it be wrapped? In what type of material will it be delivered? Do they tell you these things on their website?
How long have they been in business?
This may not mean too much. There are companies that start and surpass all others. But perhaps for your peace of mind, you may want to use an online store that has been in business for a few years. To check the history of the company is easy.
You can go to networksolutions.com and click “whois” on the top bar. You will be brought to a page where you can enter the web address of the online store you want to verify and receive the relevant information.
Is the online store site easy to use?
Is it easy to navigate? Is it easy to search for products? Do your graphics download in a reasonable amount of time? A sure sign of an amateur view is if they have their website packed with information.
Have they received bad reviews?
A reputable company is not necessarily one that does not have bad reviews to its name. It is virtually impossible to please everyone.
There have been companies that I have bought from and absolutely loved. So sometimes I am surprised when I stumble across a bad review about their products or even bad comments about them.
So when is a negative comment about a company worth considering? I take note of reviews where the writer complains about:
- not receive the product
- not receive a refund
- not replying to your emails
If you want to see what kind of reviews a business can have, click on alexa.com. When you get to the website, type in the address of the store you want to check. This will also show you how long the company has been in business.
Online shopping is fun. Take care of yourself a little and turn it into an experience! Happy shopping!