What to know when Shopping Online
Online shopping can be a wonderful experience but there are things that you need to know before you shop online. Although the majority of websites are genuine and you will have a great experience shopping online, there is the odd website that is dodgy. We will also share with you some tips to help you get the best possible deal on your purchase.
There are some things you should look out to see that a store is secure.
If the store is secure then it will have a padlock. That padlock indicates that all details received through the site will be encrypted, which means that they are not available to any third party sites or possible hackers. It means that your information will be treated with absolute security and cannot be stolen or used for purchases you do not give consent to.
Another way to identify if a site is genuine is to establish if the website has a physical address or phone number listed. If it’s genuine it will, and you will easily be able to get hold of the site administrators, or at least search for information on the website that proves their credibility.
To ensure your security, the website should have a login area where you can see previous purchases. In addition, they should also send you an automated email following your purchase so you can easily track it and keep a record for future reference.
Be careful about the information you give when you are creating an account. Even if the site is genuine that doesn’t mean the information cannot be stolen. Don’t just give the website any information. Only give them what you need to, otherwise it could be easy to defraud you of money.
That also means you shouldn’t use public terminals to make financial transactions. That includes internet cafes, or public WIFI. Anything sent over the network could be stolen, and once it’s stolen there’s no way to control what is done with the data.
This one could be a bit outdated because more and more sites are using pop ups, even legitimate sites, but a genuine site should not have any pop ups, or if it does they should be for certain products and services. Any website that has pop ups for gambling or weight loss pills is likely to be an insincere site and you should not purchase from it.
When you’re shopping online, the last thing you think about is returning the product, but on the off chance you do need to return the item you’ll want to know what the store’s return policy is. A genuine site will always have a Terms and Conditions and Return Policy section to the website. This will ensure that consumers retain rights in accordance with the Fair Trading Act.
When you’re shopping online you should also read the fine print. There have been cases where people have purchased items and then little have they known, they’ve been signed up to subscriptions or auto purchases. You should always read the terms and conditions to avoid this happening to you.
If you’re buying designer clothing or brands online, the website should always offer a certificate of authenticity. If it doesn’t then you shouldn’t make the purchase. People are frequently fooled by knockoffs online so if in doubt the simple thing is to just not make the purchase. That will avoid disappointed or being scammed in the future.
If you follow these security tips then you are sure to have a great shopping experience. Of course, there are other non security related ways to have a great experience, but they are a topic for another blog.
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