What Are The Risks Of Shopping Online? To shop safely online, you first need to be aware of the following risks: - The goods you buy may not be delivered to you.
- You may purchase goods that don't match the product description.
- You may experience delays and hassles with the purchase process.
- You may receive a poor after-sales service.
- Your credit or debit card details could be misused.
Bearing these in mind, there are 3 key ways that you prevent them from happening to you: Deal With Reputable Sellers Here is how you can spot a googd seller, especially when buying from private individuals online. - Look for evidence of a physical address and telephone contact details.
- Don't judge a person or company solely by their website.
- Be cautious when buying from overseas companies.
- Check a seller's privacy policy and returns policy.
- Use an appropriate, safe means of online payment to get some protection against non-delivery (check with your credit card company for specific details).
Use A Secure Website Here is how you can spot whether a website is secure. - Look for a padlock symbol within the browser window and that the website address for the payments page begins with 'https://'.
- If your internet browser is one of the latest versions and the shop you're buying from has the latest in website security, your address bar may turn green.
- Be aware that you should be cautious about a 'certificate' warning - the padlock symbol is not an absolute guarantee of safety and will not tell you anything about the company or its ethics.
- If there is a padlock symbol on the website, click on it to read more about the company and the status of their security certificate.
- Don't be fooled by a padlock that appears on the web page itself. Conmen can easily copy the image of a padlock. As mentioned above, look for it in the window frame of the browser.
Beware Of Scams You should always look out for scams: - If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Cross-check information on the internet and see if anyone else has had problems.
- Beware of work from home scams which promise easy profits - they will never pay.
- Be extremely wary of anything that is offered in an unsolicited or spam email.
Did You Know? Did you know that Crushed Ice has over 6 years experience in designing and developing websites for online businesses? If you are a business and would like to find out more about how they can help your customers feel safe when shopping on your website, contact Crushed Ice today. |
