Online shopping is convenient because you can shop around easily, find great deals, and have your packages delivered without leaving the comfort of your home. The convenience of online stores has led to major changes in the way people browse, shop, and order products. Today, people shop online for many reasons: they do not have to pay extra for shipping costs; they can easily look at images of a product and decide if it is right for them; they can order something in the early hours of the morning or late at night when they are not able to visit a store; they can purchase an item that isn’t available in their local store. The list goes on. We’ve probably all fallen prey to online shopping addiction at one point or another.
However, scoring a great deal online involves more than just finding the lowest price. You want to be sure that the quality of products is good, the products arrive on time, there is a solid warranty in place, and there’s a way for you to return products. What’s more, you also want to ensure that you have a safe shopping experience. Follow these tips to make your shopping experience more secure:
Use a Secure Connection to Place Orders
Only a part of the U.S. population protects their PCs. Use a secure network connection and ensure that your computer’s firewall is on. If your computer isn’t protected from malicious software, financial information and passwords are at risk of being stolen.
When shopping online, use a secure, encrypted wireless network, so a hacker does not steal your information. Avoid making any financial transactions when using an unsecured public network (such as those at coffee shops, hotels, airports, and other open access areas), as you may be putting your personal financial information at risk.
Find Out About the Merchant and Their Reputation
Shopping online can be the safest option if you’re familiar with the store. If you know people who’ve had positive experiences ordering from the website, you can confidently shop from that site.
If you don’t know the store, be careful when shopping online. Do a background check by checking if the store has been reviewed. If not, don’t order from their website.
Beware of Offers that Sound Too Good to Be True
Be wary of any website that promises too much at a bargain-basement price. If the price seems too low, evaluate whether the merchant obtained the products legally, if the products are actually brand new or cheaply made fakes, if they will work correctly, and whether you will be able to return them if they’re damaged. Disreputable websites – like their brick and mortar counterparts – may dangle an absurdly low price in front of you and then claim that the item is out of stock to sell you something else – that’s a classic “bait and switch” scam.
