Thinking about shopping online? While there’s no question that some of the world’s best bargains can be found on the net, there are a few things to bear in mind if you don’t want to end up fleeced by some of the less trustworthy characters that scour the world wide web for unsuspecting victims. Just remember that with online shopping, just like in the real world, saving a few pennies can end up costing you a fortune. In the high street, when you hand over your cash to a guy with shifty eyes and a suitcase, you’re probably going to end up cheated, and it’s exactly the same over the internet – in the form of overbilling, supply of bad quality material, no supply at all or even credit card and identity fraud.
Most transactions made at an online store are done through credit or debit cards, where you need to use your secret credit card numbers and passwords. If, in the rush to grab that unbeatable deal, you give sensitive information to the wrong person, you could end up losing some serious money and then owing a whole lot more to your credit provider, to boot. So before you purchase from an online store make sure it’s 100% reliable. Look for some credentials, reviews, or user comments on sites other than those on the store’s own pages. If you haven’t heard of a particular shopping site before, check to see how long it’s been in business, and never deal with a store that’s only two weeks old, even if it does have the best prices on the planet.
Most reliable stores will have a professional interface, and will display their contact details openly. If there is no phone number or mailing address listed, then simply don’t shop from that store. If contact details are listed but you still feel unsure, call up the phone number and verify it before making any purchase.
You will often see periodic sales offers, auctions or special deals where goods are offered at incredible prices – capitalize on these offers from reputable sites and you can save a fortune, but, however good the offer, just make sure you only buy from people you can trust, as there are people out there who will advertise items they don’t actually sell, just to hunt for your credit card details.
When buying from an online store it is essential to only use dealers that use a secure credit card payment system. Look for the ‘lock’ icon that shows whether or not you are on a secure connection before giving out your credit card number. Never give your credit card information to a website that does not put you on a secure connection, because, even if the dealer themselves is clean as a whistle, your information could easily be ‘eavesdropped’ by a third party. Good shopping websites will also have an agreement with an accredited or well-known payment-processing agency such as ‘Paypal’. If there is a payment agency involved in your transaction, security is greatly increased and you can be sure that the price deal you are getting is genuine. Payment agencies will also give you a sort of ‘appellate’ authority to complain to if the transaction is not up to the standards advertised.
Don’t be put off shopping online – most of the time, you’ll find the very best products at the very best prices, as dealers can cut right down on overheads through the reduction of their distribution processes. But stay secure, shop right, choose the right source and make sure you’ve got the right security. And never forget that your credit card number is exactly the same as the cash in your pocket.
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