Safe shopping online

Shopping safely online

With so much money now being spent through the internet how do you know which are the best places to shop? Well here is my guide.

1. Don't be taken in by flashy sites that have fancy flash images. These don't show you how good a site is, just how good the web developer is.

2. Check the terms and conditions. Do they detail how returns will be dealt with, how to return items, how they will be shipped and estimated shipping times? Always check these before making a purchase.

3.If a website states " we are not responsible for any losses" then avoid like the
plague. The terms should state that delays may happen but the most important thing is how they deal with them. Sites that start off on the defensive are not showing their priority to you the customer.

4.What are the returns policy? By law if buying on the internet you have a cooling off period, walk away from any site that states only damaged or defective goods can be returned.

5. Price. Cheapest isn't always best, its worth paying a little more to be assured of good service.

6. Secure payment. Look for an SSL certificate at the checkout point to ensure you credit card payments are truly safe. Also a site that takes PayPal as well can make shopping safer as PayPal will enter into disputes on your behalf.

7.Google is your friend. Google the website name and see what comes up, chances are the shop will be top, but scroll through a page or two and see if you come across any bad feedback. Now this isn't always a bad thing thing as sometimes the site owners may have responded and will give you an idea of the manner that they will resolve things. Lots of bad comments on forums are not good though.

8. Facebook. Do they have a Facebook page or profile? This may be linked from their
website as it is getting very popular with honest retailers. Visit their page or profile and see how they interact with their customers. This is a very good way of getting a feel for the people you are about to give your money to. Do they answer their customers questions and comment on other peoples posts or do they get no feedback and just use it to list items for publicity.

9. Images on websites can be deceptive, so if unsure always email or phone the shop and ask questions. Emailing is usually the most effective as a shop worth their salt will send you extra information if they have it e.g. a clothing store may send you a detailed sizing guide or a hi res picture. If they seem put out by your request then walk away.

10. Finally, once you have found somewhere that you have had a good shopping experience with then tell your friends, put it on your blog, your website, Facebook, twitter and anywhere else you can think of. You will be helping others and show your support for the shop keepers that have gone out of their way to treat you as a valued customer