What to look out for when shopping online

The benefits of shopping online are numerous, but you should always take sensible precautions when choosing who to shop with.

Anyone can set up an ecommerce website with a shopping cart and start marketing their goods. It’s for this reason that shopping online is highly competitive resulting with such good prices for us consumers. But as with most walks of life, some online shops are better than others, and some are not always what they seem. But don’t let this put you off. By following these guidelines, your online shopping experience should be a pleasant and rewarding one.

Here are some guidelines you should follow:

•         Shop with retailers you recognise or that have been personally recommended to you.
•         Check their returns and refund policy before proceeding with your order
•         Check the item is in stock before purchasing
•         Check the expected delivery time
•         Look out for any additional charges including unreasonable delivery costs
•         Check their privacy policy which explains how your data will be used
•         Read the small print associated with any order you make
•         Print out the purchase agreement or contract as they may subsequently change               them
•         Only pay online if you see a recognised safe icon
•         Pay by credit card rather than debit card as payments made by credit card have                 protection
•         Check your credit card or bank account regularly for any unexpected transactions.
•         Check your goods as soon as they arrive
•         Never share your passwords with anyone online
•         If you are unsure about anything, phone the retailer before making a purchase
•         If you are shopping with an unknown site, google them first, you’ll soon any                      complaints
•        Always remember, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it might well be, check it out          first
•        Never open an attachment within an email unless you are sure it came from a                    trustworthy source

Paying by credit card

If you make a deposit or pay in full by credit card rather than by debit or charge cards, you will have some additional protection. If you subsequently have a claim against the retailer for non supply of goods, or the supply of faulty goods, you may also be able to claim against your credit card provider. This would also apply if the retailer ceased trading for any reason. Most major credit card companies, although not having to by law, do also honour any substantiated claims involving cross border transactions as long as they don’t exceed the original payment.

Check your delivery asap

To ensure that what you have been supplied is in good working order and is indeed what was described when you made the purchase, you should check your delivery as soon as it arrives.

Signing for the receipt of goods does not affect your rights, you are still entitled to a reasonable time in which to check your goods. If you are not happy for any reason, you should contact the supplier immediately. If you call them you should confirm your conversation in an email so you have a record of it. If your goods are faulty, sending them back to the supplier to be repaired, doesn’t affect your rights. If the goods are not repairable, you still have the right to reject the goods and either ask for a replacement or full refund. In situations such as this, the cost of returning goods should be borne by the supplier.

Your rights remain the same even if your goods are purchased in a sale. Some sellers may state that no refunds are offered on faulty goods. If they do, steer away from dealing with them as responsible sellers wouldn’t make that claim.

If you buy second hand goods or goods from a private individual you have fewer rights. The general rule of thumb is ‘buyer beware’, the responsibility is on you to make sure you check that you are getting a good deal. You also need to be aware of traders who try to pose as private sellers. They are doing this to take advantage of the fewer rights you have when buying something from a private seller. It is also illegal and should be reported.

Shopping on line is fun and can save you valuable time and money. To ensure your shopping experience is a safe one, be sure to follow these straightforward and effective guidelines and all should be well.

Happy shopping!