With the change in technology, Internet has emerged as the new market for both buyers and sellers. Over the years, this has resulted in steady elimination of the middleman, retailers and neighbourhood stores. Buyers are no longer required to visit stores physically to make purchases – instead items can be bought online with just the click of a mouse and that too in real time. Product and bulk discounts, festive offers, free product samples, free gifts, and free shipping are some of the incentives that make online purchasing a lucrative deal. Products can be procured at highly competitive rates, especially in auction sites along with free shipping facilities.
Being focused enables a buyer to safeguard themselves. In addition, being alert enables a buyer to react quickly and effectively if the product does not live up to their expectation. Certainly, there are more than seven tips for buying &/or bidding for products from an online auction store such as eBay; but here are the most common pointers –
1) Buy only from secure websites:
How can an individual tell if a site is secure or not? Here is the answer – secure sites use encryption technology to transfer information from the buyer’s computer to the seller’s computer such as a credit or debit card number, CVV code, etc. At the time of making the payment, the web address changes to https://. The ‘s’ signifies that the site is secure for online transactions. For instance, while checking out on eBay, the site address changes from http:// to https:// In addition, a ‘lock’ sign appears in the web browser to signify that the site is indeed secure.
2) Research the service provider before placing an order:
Knowing from where to buy might seem something very common yet it is the most overlooked part. Business should only be done with companies you are aware of. A professional business always has it’s address and contact details available online, along with a customer care or a helpdesk. Auction sites like Amazon and eBay have stringent rules for a seller to get listed on the site. It is also prudent for the buyer to check out the seller’s reviews, past history, along with delivery terms to form an opinion.
3) Restricted Information disclosure:
At the time of making an online purchase, common sense should be used while providing information to the seller; any information which does not appear to be useful should not be shared with the service provider. The seller does not need to know an individual’s social security number, online bank account password, or pin number. If any information other than the usual is asked, then there might be a possible care of forgery.
4) Always print &/or save copies of your order:
As a general procedure, an email confirmation is received at the time of placing an online order. Make sure to review the entire order to ensure that it includes – correct product details, amount billed, estimated date of delivery, customer care details, correct billing address, etc. It is wise to retain the customer copy of order for future returns/warranty policy like in case of electronic gadgets, mobile phone, etc.
5) Terms and Conditions for product delivery or service rendered:
This is perhaps the most overlooked area. There is always a fine print on the merchant site that highlights the underlined terms and conditions for purchasing products. Some of the items covered are – Does the seller ship internationally and if yes, then what are shipping rates, any money back guarantee, process of order cancellation, returns and settling grievance in case of a dispute or customer support details etc.
6) Being aware of Product details:
It is indeed prudent to be aware of the product details to be purchased – product name &/or model, features, specification, manufacture guarantee, product cost both in retail and online stores etc. At the time of buying NYX cosmetics online, important things to note are product category, item code, cost per item, shipping details, etc. These details will differ when buying products from different online stores like eBay, Sephore, Strawberry.net.
7) Know your budget:
Individuals shop for various reason– buying bare essential & groceries, getting price advantages, or shopping in times of depression and for a self boost. Needless to mention, excess of everything is bad and shopping too can turn into an addiction and can lead to financial problems. It is concept which is hard to digest and difficult to sacrum to temptations. However, knowing your budget and strictly following it goes a long way in getting away from loan sharks and money lenders.
So, there you have it! The seven top tips for making online buying a safe heaven. Like mention earlier, the above is by far not an exhaustive list but a few common pointers to keep in mind. It is important to use common sense and try not to be part of the crowd. Remember, being a smart consumer is essentially the key to a safe, secure and enjoyable online experience!