With the Internet, it’s never been easier to get the things we want conveniently without setting foot outside our homes. Quick delivery, cheaper prices and a greater variety of stores are just some of the perks to shopping online.
But a rise in online commerce also come with an increase in scams and sellers looking to take advantage of naive buyers. And it’s no longer enough to rely fully upon customer reviews as these can be easily bought or made up beforehand.
Be smart. Before shopping online, make sure you’re aware of these three crucial tips to ensure a stress-free experience.
Money Back Guarantee
This is pretty much the most important rule to online shopping. Every single one of your purchases should come with a money back refund, especially the more expensive ones. It’s the smart thing to do. We can’t always be sure if a product is right for us until we receive it and try it out for ourselves. And sometimes we’re not happy. A money-back guarantee is also a sign of a legitimate company who’s confident in their products.
And if there isn’t a refund available, you can get some security by using PayPal for your payments. Not many people know this, but PayPal can and will revert transactions if you can prove that it was a scam.
Use Trusted Websites
Most of our purchases will come from safe marketplaces like eBay or Amazon. But if you’re stepping outside these sites, then make sure you only shop at trustworthy websites. And don’t always rely on search engine results to give you legitimate sellers.
A couple of tips to judge a website’s integrity. Firstly, if it’s asking for your credit card information, make sure the site it has SSL encryption installed. This ensures the safety of your online information and is usually identified by a padlock in the URL bar.
Secondly, be aware of what information you give. No retailer should ask for your social security number or national insurance number to sell you anything. Make sure they’re only asking for what’s needed. Any additional information should be optional.
Have a Reliable Antivirus
It’s difficult for us to identify all possible threats when shopping online. A lot of scam sites are cleverly disguised to appear genuine. Reliable security software can separate legitimate e-commerce sites from fakes and warn you about any possible dangers.
Always make sure you have at least a firewall installed to protect yourself from malware and viruses which can steal your identity and confidential information. And keep any security software program up-to-date as cyber threats are always evolving.…