Rules for online shopping
Written by: smm
Shopping online isn’t something that can surprise people anymore. E-commerce is here to stay. That being said, you must still beware of scammers when shopping on the web.
Fraudsters always have more ways to scam you when you shop online rather than in regular stores. The hype around products or services makes buyers act quickly, impulsively, and recklessly.
Keep on reading to learn what traps you may fall into and what safety rules to follow in order to prevent this from happening.
Here are some of the online shopping risks:
— Products are out of stock
— You risk losing money if the online seller turns out to be a scammer
— You risk paying online
— You may get the wrong products
— You may get defective products
— You risk not getting a refund
When you find what you want, like the product, and are ready to add it to your cart, it makes sense to stop right there.
First, you have to read the payment and shipping details. Does the seller guarantee that it has the product in stock, and how exactly will it be delivered to you? Is there a refund option if the product’s quality turns out to be less than satisfactory?
Rules for testing online stores:
#1: Discover how long your online store has been operating in the market
That’s one thing if we’re considering online stores that have been in the market for five years. However, when we’re eyeing stores that have been operating for a month or two, this could very well be a red flag.
#2: Check the basic details
We’re talking about the identification number and the official name from the national register, plus the legal status, type of activity, registered office, and other critical registration data. For starters, you can start off with the Contact Us page.
#3: Do the background check of the seller’s legal history
Sometimes you can find lots of information about people such as court cases, debts, and even red notices.
Rules for online shopping:
— Avoid paying until you receive your order
You’d better pay after delivery at the carrier’s office or to the courier. This way, you can make sure your items are of high quality, and there is no way the seller will disappear with your money without a trace and without shipping anything.
— Compare prices in various online stores
If the price for your item is unreasonably low, sometimes even lower than the real cost, it’s likely that you are dealing with a scammer.
— Read the reviews
Keep in mind that—most likely—other people have already ordered from this seller and shared their experience: they leave reviews on the website, special platforms, social media, etc. On top of that, the store’s name may appear in some articles about fraud. So, make sure to browse the Internet for all possible information, especially if you have doubts about the seller’s reputation.
Adopt a similar approach not only when checking online stores but also when ordering something from private individuals on various online marketplaces.
Ask sellers to provide information about their full name, preferably confirmed by an identity card.
After that, check the individual using open sources or special systems!