Online Shopping: Who Can You Trust?
When you’re shopping online, you aren’t meeting face to face with a living person. So how do you know who you can trust? There are a number of things you can do to find online merchants you can trust.
Trusted Big Company Name
First, you can do business with big name companies like Amazon. While every business can have a problem or complaint, the businesses that grow and succeed are the ones who solve problems and resolve complaints on the few occasions they occur, while building a reputation of quality and trust the majority of the time.
You can (almost) safely deal with a stranger through a company you trust. An example of this is eBay. By using buyer and seller feedback and designing a procedure to protect both parties, eBay helps make buying and selling safe.
Is the seller located in your country? While it is exciting to get a package from across the pond, it’s easier to resolve a problem if everyone is on the same shore!
You may be able to find out more about a seller’s reputation by checking with the Better Business Bureau or Attorney General (U.S. businesses) in the seller’s home state.
If you’re on a small business website, look for an “about” or “contact” page to find the physical address of the seller. There should at least be an email contact address. You can do a “whois” search to see who owns the domain and where it’s located.
Google Search
You can also do a Google search to see if other customers have praises or complaints about the business. Don’t be scared away by one flaming blog post, but look for patterns—if fifty people say it’s a scam, it probably is.
Depending on what products you’re looking for, you might place a small test order to see for yourself if the product is as advertised, delivered on time, etc.
And, just like the “real” world, you can ask other people for advice. The Internet is full of forums, chat rooms, and blogs where you can post a request for information.
Some of those strangers are friends you haven’t met yet. Friends you can trust.
Shopping Online: How good are the Products?
When many people start shopping online, one of their biggest concerns is product quality. Is the picture accurate? Is the assembly sturdy? We’re used to touching things before we buy, and looking at a picture just isn’t the same.
A lot depends on what it is you’re buying
If you’re buying something like memory cards or AAA batteries, it is what it is. You can check the brand—is the battery a Duracell, or an Eveready? (Be sure to read closely-“Eveready” pictured in a familiar-looking red and black package might not be a typo but a sneaky counterfeit.)
What does the description say about the product? Some claims are mere puffery. “Five pounds of the best tasting fudge in the South” has to weigh at least five pounds. But it doesn’t have to taste good.
How reasonable is the price? Too low is just as suspicious as too high. Too low prices can indicate inferior, stolen, or counterfeit merchandise. If you don’t understand a term, look it up. Brand name or designer merchandise is often counterfeited and sold as genuine.
Does the seller offer a guarantee, a warranty, or a return policy? Read the fine print. If you have ten days to return from the date of the order, and it takes twelve days to ship…you get the picture.
Shipping and handling costs
What are the shipping and handling costs? Especially on small electronics at eBay, you can find a fantastic low price—combined with an outrageous “shipping and handling” fee. Look at the TOTAL cost of the purchase, including shipping.
What do other people say about the seller or the product? Do a quick Google search to read forum and blog postings. You may find the product isn’t something you’d want. Or you may find a better alternative.
Trust your instincts. There may be something about the website that makes you feel suspicious. If so, don’t buy the product from that website or seller. You can probably find it elsewhere at a comparable—maybe even better—price.
Whether you’re doing in-person brick and mortar store or online shopping, not all products are created equal. But if you exercise common sense, you’ll probably find just what you’re looking for at the right price.
Online Shopping: The Safest Way to Pay
The single biggest worry people have about shopping online is security. There are many different ways to pay for online purchases, and some are safer than others.
Electronic Check or Debit Card
One option is to pay by electronic check or debit card. This is probably the least secure of the options, because it could give a thief access to your bank account. Think about how easy it is for you to pay a bill by phone. All you need is the bank routing number and your account number.
The other common option is to pay by credit card. This is often touted as the safest option, because of built in protections against fraud. A loss limit of $50 and procedures to dispute false charges or unsatisfactory purchases are factors that can make a credit card the best choice for online shopping.
Some retailers, realizing that shoppers may not feel comfortable entering credit card information into a web form, offer the option of placing credit card orders by phone.
First, the best card is one with a low limit, and preferably only used for shopping online. Pay special attention to charges to that card, and don’t hesitate to question anything that looks out of place.
Some banks monitor credit card use and flag any charges that don’t fit the usual pattern. While it may be a bit annoying to verify actual charges, it would be a lot more annoying to pay someone else’s charges.
Safe Online Shopping
Some banks offer “one-time-use” credit card numbers specifically for safe online shopping.
Finally, online payment gateways like PayPal offer both flexibility and security in online transactions. While ordering direct from the merchant means each merchant has your credit card information, you can buy from fifty different places with PayPal and the only place that has your credit card information is PayPal.
And most online retailers accept PayPal along with regular credit cards.
No matter how you choose to pay for your online purchases, read your statements carefully and clarify anything you don’t understand. And stay safe out there!
Online Shopping: Ways to Keep More Money in Your Pocket
Online shopping can help you find great values in everything from electronics to cookie cutters. With online shopping getting safer all the time, more and more people are discovering fun and savings. By following these simple guidelines, you can save even more.
Price Matching Policies
Look for price matching policies. While this is more common among brick and mortar retailers, you may be able to negotiate. Look for phrases like “guaranteed lowest price” or “won’t be undersold”. When in doubt, ask!
Don’t get too caught up in the excitement of finding a bargain. “Buy one get one free” isn’t a bargain if you won’t use the second one. But if you do find a great deal, don’t wait too long to take advantage. If the airline is offering a 2000 mile round trip for twenty dollars to help fill the plane, and you want to take the trip, buy the ticket today. It probably won’t be available tomorrow.
Double check pricing
Everybody loves a deal, but be suspicious if the price is too low. The products could be poor quality counterfeits or stolen. These are online shopping websites that can help you compare prices: Bizrate, Shopzilla, Froogle, and Pricegrabber.
Watch out for the details. Does ordering at low prices require you to “join the club” and commit to monthly membership fees? (Be especially alert if the club that advertises such a wonderful selection at such low prices says everything you want to order is “out of stock”). Be sure to look for shipping and handling fees—some retailers will offer an item for a ridiculously low price with shipping costs that bring the total up to more than the regular retail price with reasonable shipping.
You can search online for coupons by either product or store. Do a Google search for “coupon” or “promotional code”. You can also go to 247malls or Monkeybargains to search by store or product category.
Finally, cashback sites like Ebates, Butterflymall, or MyPoints can earn you cash bonuses or gift points for shopping online. And that keeps more money in your pocket!