Online shopping has become a convenient and quick way to buy groceries, clothing, appliances, and other goods. However, if you're not careful, there's always the risk of getting a pig in a poke or ending up with nothing at all.
Online shopping has changed consumer consciousness and reshaped retailers' businesses. It has also enabled local producers and private sellers to easily enter the market. Buyers now have access to a vast selection of products, unconstrained by the physical shelf space of their local store. However, this has also increased the risks: lost packages, mixed-up or damaged goods, cheap counterfeits instead of the original, expired products, and, in some cases, card theft. Let's look at what to look for to avoid disappointment in online shopping and avoid becoming a target for fraud.
You can buy online on a marketplace, on a retailer's website or app, on a classifieds platform, or on social media. Regardless of your choice of platform, you need to take several steps to ensure the seller's reliability.
(c) Source
Online shopping has changed consumer consciousness and reshaped retailers' businesses. It has also enabled local producers and private sellers to easily enter the market. Buyers now have access to a vast selection of products, unconstrained by the physical shelf space of their local store. However, this has also increased the risks: lost packages, mixed-up or damaged goods, cheap counterfeits instead of the original, expired products, and, in some cases, card theft. Let's look at what to look for to avoid disappointment in online shopping and avoid becoming a target for fraud.
You can buy online on a marketplace, on a retailer's website or app, on a classifieds platform, or on social media. Regardless of your choice of platform, you need to take several steps to ensure the seller's reliability.
Choose trusted sellers
It's best to place an order on a trusted marketplace or from a seller with years of experience. Before purchasing, evaluate the platform: consider its reputation, customer support, return policy, payment methods, and website security. You can use the seller's mobile app as well as the website. Large online platforms generally value their reputation and won't deceive customers. In the event of a dispute, you can file a claim.Read reviews
If you're visiting an unfamiliar seller's website for the first time, pay attention to the reviews. Real buyers usually describe specific details and features they liked or disliked. Genuine reviews may also include photos. Fake reviews, on the other hand, are similar in content, sometimes written as if they were carbon copies. Another sign that reviews are fake is that they appear on the site briefly, then suddenly stop.Check your social media pages
Even small sellers typically have social media accounts and try to keep customers informed about new products. Consider how long the page has been active and how regularly it's maintained. Pay attention to the reviews on the social media page and how the seller responds to customer complaints.Find information about a retail outlet
If the seller has a physical store , this increases their chances of being reliable. They are highly likely to be registered legally and have a lease agreement. However, be careful, as scammers can spoof the websites of reputable stores, and you could end up on a phishing site. Check the store's information in the 2GIS online city directory or Yandex Maps. Call the store and inquire about the availability and name of their online store or official shopping app.Compare prices
If you see a significant difference in the price of an item across different platforms, you should be wary. While sellers do occasionally run sales, any excessively low price should be justified. For example, a discount might be offered on a display item with external flaws, or on leftovers from last year's collection. In other cases, excessively large discounts are a reason to avoid the purchase. There's a high risk of receiving a counterfeit, damaged product, or being scammed.Make purchases only on secure websites
A secure website's address should begin with https://. You'll see a closed lock icon to the left of the address bar. Don't trust the site if the icon is red or has a strikethrough. Unfortunately, the presence of these elements in the address bar doesn't guarantee the site is genuine. But if there's no protection, you should definitely avoid purchasing.Order goods with cash on delivery or with payment to the courier upon receipt
This way, you can protect yourself from scammers who take prepayment and then don't ship the goods.Use the "Secure Payment" option on the classifieds site
If you're ordering an item from a classifieds site, don't transfer a prepayment directly to the seller. You can make a purchase using the "Secure Payment" option. You order the item, pay for it, and the money is reserved until you receive it, inspect it, and confirm that everything is OK. After that, the classifieds service will transfer the money to the seller.Pay for online purchases with your card safely
It's best to use a separate bank card for online shopping. Don't keep a significant amount on it; transfer the required amount just before making a purchase. Don't save payment information on the merchant's website. However, even if the card details are compromised, you won't lose all your savings.What to do if you've been scammed while shopping online
- Contact the seller directly, explain the problem in detail, and try to resolve the dispute.
- If you made a purchase on a marketplace, social network, or classifieds site, contact the resource's administrators and ask them to help resolve the dispute or block the seller.
- Write a statement to law enforcement agencies, providing the information you have about the fraudster.
- To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, it's important not only to choose the right seller and pay securely, but also to follow basic security measures. Critical thinking, vigilance, and awareness will make online shopping not only enjoyable but also safe.
(c) Source
