Contents
We are so much accustomed to the convenience and comfort in everyday life that we began to plunge into the Internet more and more often: to find the necessary information, order a service, apply for a loan and even buy food. But in order to avoid being scammed by numerous scammers, you need to know and follow the basic rules of online shopping.
Concept and legal basis of distance selling
Remote sale of goods is a transaction concluded without the direct presence of the seller and the goods themselves at the time of its registration. Such purchases are based on the buyer's acquaintance with the information about the product offered by the seller in various forms (text, photo, video), including taken from publicly available sources:
Alcoholic beverages and goods, the sale of which is limited or completely prohibited by the current legislation, cannot be sold remotely. And when selling other groups of goods, the seller is obliged to provide the consumer with a lot of clarifying information in some country:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping
The main advantage is, of course, convenience. This is especially true for those who work with irregular working hours. All the essentials can be ordered online, when a "window" appeared in a busy work schedule, and pay in the same place.
Another plus is the cost of goods. In ordinary retail outlets, the seller spends significant amounts on rent and maintenance of the premises, and also pays for the labor of hired workers. Of course, such costs are included in the final cost of the goods. The online store is spared this kind of costs, so the prices in it are not much higher than those of the direct manufacturer. By the way, many virtual retail outlets are opened by the manufacturers themselves, which means that the goods can be purchased avoiding intermediaries. In addition to this, the seller's website always contains information about promotions and seasonal discounts that will help you save more.
The speed of finding the right product cannot be left aside, it also deserves attention. Any online store provides an opportunity to find a product in the catalog by a key request. And there are also enough third-party services for finding the right thing - in them you can not only find everything you need, but also compare price offers from different sellers.
There is only one drawback of such a purchase - the risk, which is of several types:
Basic rules for online shopping
Seller choice
Before making a purchase, it is important to know how to choose a good seller. Companies that work honestly and try to earn themselves a high rating have been on the market for at least a year. Everything is clear here - they need to develop and improve, earn an honest name for themselves and develop as large a client base as possible. Such online stores will certainly not hide with your money in an unknown direction, and in case of any misunderstanding they will meet the client halfway.
In addition to work experience, the page of the virtual store should contain the most detailed information about the seller:
An important thing is the reviews about the seller. You should not just trust the forum hosted directly on the website of the online store. It is quite possible that the owner of a virtual outlet winds up the rating himself, leaving anonymous praise in his address, or pays freelancers for posting such a review. And all the negative that takes place could be left by competitors. Therefore, it is better to spend a little time and look at the seller's reviews on independent resources.
So, rule number 1 - we buy only from reliable sellers .
Purchase selection
You also need to choose the right product. For example, when purchasing clothes or shoes, check with the seller which size range is indicated on the website (USA, European, etc.) and compare it with our one. Otherwise, you can buy a completely inappropriate thing.
You also need to be careful when buying cosmetics and perfumes through online services. Remember that the monitor will not convey odors, and the description and composition alone is not always enough to understand how this fragrance is compatible with your preferences. It is better to buy only those products that you have already used before and have an accurate representation of their structure and aromatic base.
It is completely undesirable to purchase food products via the Internet. You cannot absolutely know exactly what the degree of freshness of such a product is, and in the description everything is not always truthfully written. There is no guarantee that the beautiful picture on the screen matches the actual appearance of the products.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the offered price. A quality item will never be too cheap. Sometimes online stores sell fakes under the pretext of a seasonal sale, which become unusable after the first use.
Therefore, the second rule will be a thorough study of the subject of purchase and clarification of all points of interest to you even before placing an order.
Payment
To pay for purchases, sellers always offer a choice of several payment options:
Of course, the best option is cash. Moreover, at the time of receiving the order, you will have the opportunity to first evaluate the product and only then pay for it. But courier delivery services operate mainly in large cities, and consumers from smaller settlements have to consider other payment and receipt options.
Electronic money is also convenient and easy, only you can not use any (first available) service. As a rule, the payment system provides a service for transferring funds between accounts, and does not bear any responsibility for other aspects of the transaction. Therefore, it is advisable to pay for goods through PayPal or AliPay, which have full buyer protection. Within a certain period of time, you can dispute the quality or even the very fact of receiving the ordered goods. In most cases, such disputes are resolved in favor of the consumer, to whom all money is returned, including shipping costs.
Regarding payment by bank card. Here one can only recall the words of the notorious fable “How many times have the world been told…”. There is nothing to add here, all the risks and benefits have already been discussed more than once. We recommend that you thoroughly read the article "how to pay by card via the Internet" and go over the rules for the safe use of a bank card.
From all that has been said, the third rule flows smoothly : it is advisable to make purchases in those online stores that deliver goods without prepayment. And if you need one, we mainly use PayPal and AliPay services (this mainly concerns foreign online stores or online auctions).
Receiving the goods
It is important not only to choose the right thing and pay safely, but also to receive it wisely.
Below there will be a small instruction for receiving purchases at the Russian Post, but in general it is suitable for any mail service (now there are a lot of intermediaries involved in the delivery of goods).
First, the parcel must be carefully inspected for damage. Until this moment, you should not put your signature on the notice - then you will not prove that the packaging was "somehow not like that."
If there are no visible defects in the parcel, it means that the post has fulfilled all the requirements for the safety of the parcels, and is not responsible for the contents. In other cases, in the presence of the postal worker, the parcel is opened, and its "insides" are checked for compliance with the order. All right? Then we sign for the receipt. Have a complaint? So, we draw up an act, the form of which is in any post office.
But there are also such incidents when, with an excellent appearance of the shipment, an unpleasant surprise awaits you inside: the wrong product, the ordered item is broken, or even a pebble for weight is flaunting nearby. This is entirely the fault of the seller, who turned out to be not so conscientious. The only option in this situation is to demand a refund from such a "huckster".
It is advisable to record the entire process of opening the package and extracting the contents with a video camera - then you will have serious arguments in your favor. Fortunately, now there are such cameras in almost any mobile phone.
So, the fourth rule - we carefully examine the mailings and their contents, and if there are any claims, we start a dispute with the seller .
Return option
Even making a purchase at a regular outlet, you will never be 100% insured against purchasing a low-quality product. How many such cases, when small defects, darkening the joy of purchase, are found already at home. With distance selling, this risk increases significantly - and you cannot touch the goods, and the monitor can distort the color gamut.
However, don't forget about the consumer rights law. He will protect you here too. When buying a low-quality product, you have the right to demand:
Consequently, rule number 5 - even before placing an order, you need to study the conditions and terms of return and do not hesitate to defend your rights.
There are not many rules for shopping on the Internet. And they can not be called complex in any way. By following our recommendations, you will be able to secure the process of remote acquisition of your favorite things as much as possible. Enjoy the shopping!
- 1. Concept and legal basis of distance selling
- 2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping
- 3. Basic rules for online shopping
- 3.1 Choosing a seller
- 3.2 Choice of purchase
- 3.3 Payment
- 3.4 Receiving the goods
- 3.5 Possibility of return
We are so much accustomed to the convenience and comfort in everyday life that we began to plunge into the Internet more and more often: to find the necessary information, order a service, apply for a loan and even buy food. But in order to avoid being scammed by numerous scammers, you need to know and follow the basic rules of online shopping.
Concept and legal basis of distance selling
Remote sale of goods is a transaction concluded without the direct presence of the seller and the goods themselves at the time of its registration. Such purchases are based on the buyer's acquaintance with the information about the product offered by the seller in various forms (text, photo, video), including taken from publicly available sources:
- a television;
- the Internet;
- radio;
- printed catalogs, etc.
Alcoholic beverages and goods, the sale of which is limited or completely prohibited by the current legislation, cannot be sold remotely. And when selling other groups of goods, the seller is obliged to provide the consumer with a lot of clarifying information in some country:
- a detailed description of the product and its key characteristics;
- the material from which the thing is made, and for food products - the composition and nutritional value;
- shelf life (or warranty), storage and use conditions;
- detailed information about the manufacturer;
- price, terms of purchase, payment, delivery and return;
- whether the product was in use, whether any of its shortcomings were eliminated.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping
The main advantage is, of course, convenience. This is especially true for those who work with irregular working hours. All the essentials can be ordered online, when a "window" appeared in a busy work schedule, and pay in the same place.
Another plus is the cost of goods. In ordinary retail outlets, the seller spends significant amounts on rent and maintenance of the premises, and also pays for the labor of hired workers. Of course, such costs are included in the final cost of the goods. The online store is spared this kind of costs, so the prices in it are not much higher than those of the direct manufacturer. By the way, many virtual retail outlets are opened by the manufacturers themselves, which means that the goods can be purchased avoiding intermediaries. In addition to this, the seller's website always contains information about promotions and seasonal discounts that will help you save more.
The speed of finding the right product cannot be left aside, it also deserves attention. Any online store provides an opportunity to find a product in the catalog by a key request. And there are also enough third-party services for finding the right thing - in them you can not only find everything you need, but also compare price offers from different sellers.
There is only one drawback of such a purchase - the risk, which is of several types:
- receipt of low-quality goods or goods that do not correspond to the description from unscrupulous suppliers;
- the opportunity to get to the website of a fly-by-night company that sells goods cheaply, and after receiving an advance payment simply disappears;
- long terms for receiving the goods - you will receive it when the need has already disappeared;
- and the most common is the loss of money from a bank card immediately after making a payment on the network.
Basic rules for online shopping
Seller choice
Before making a purchase, it is important to know how to choose a good seller. Companies that work honestly and try to earn themselves a high rating have been on the market for at least a year. Everything is clear here - they need to develop and improve, earn an honest name for themselves and develop as large a client base as possible. Such online stores will certainly not hide with your money in an unknown direction, and in case of any misunderstanding they will meet the client halfway.
In addition to work experience, the page of the virtual store should contain the most detailed information about the seller:
- full company name;
- legal address;
- contact details, including STATIONARY phones (good tone - phones starting with X (800), calls to which are free);
- Bank details.
An important thing is the reviews about the seller. You should not just trust the forum hosted directly on the website of the online store. It is quite possible that the owner of a virtual outlet winds up the rating himself, leaving anonymous praise in his address, or pays freelancers for posting such a review. And all the negative that takes place could be left by competitors. Therefore, it is better to spend a little time and look at the seller's reviews on independent resources.
So, rule number 1 - we buy only from reliable sellers .
Purchase selection
You also need to choose the right product. For example, when purchasing clothes or shoes, check with the seller which size range is indicated on the website (USA, European, etc.) and compare it with our one. Otherwise, you can buy a completely inappropriate thing.
You also need to be careful when buying cosmetics and perfumes through online services. Remember that the monitor will not convey odors, and the description and composition alone is not always enough to understand how this fragrance is compatible with your preferences. It is better to buy only those products that you have already used before and have an accurate representation of their structure and aromatic base.
It is completely undesirable to purchase food products via the Internet. You cannot absolutely know exactly what the degree of freshness of such a product is, and in the description everything is not always truthfully written. There is no guarantee that the beautiful picture on the screen matches the actual appearance of the products.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the offered price. A quality item will never be too cheap. Sometimes online stores sell fakes under the pretext of a seasonal sale, which become unusable after the first use.
Therefore, the second rule will be a thorough study of the subject of purchase and clarification of all points of interest to you even before placing an order.
Payment
To pay for purchases, sellers always offer a choice of several payment options:
- cash to the courier;
- electronic money;
- by credit card.
Of course, the best option is cash. Moreover, at the time of receiving the order, you will have the opportunity to first evaluate the product and only then pay for it. But courier delivery services operate mainly in large cities, and consumers from smaller settlements have to consider other payment and receipt options.
Electronic money is also convenient and easy, only you can not use any (first available) service. As a rule, the payment system provides a service for transferring funds between accounts, and does not bear any responsibility for other aspects of the transaction. Therefore, it is advisable to pay for goods through PayPal or AliPay, which have full buyer protection. Within a certain period of time, you can dispute the quality or even the very fact of receiving the ordered goods. In most cases, such disputes are resolved in favor of the consumer, to whom all money is returned, including shipping costs.
Regarding payment by bank card. Here one can only recall the words of the notorious fable “How many times have the world been told…”. There is nothing to add here, all the risks and benefits have already been discussed more than once. We recommend that you thoroughly read the article "how to pay by card via the Internet" and go over the rules for the safe use of a bank card.
From all that has been said, the third rule flows smoothly : it is advisable to make purchases in those online stores that deliver goods without prepayment. And if you need one, we mainly use PayPal and AliPay services (this mainly concerns foreign online stores or online auctions).
Receiving the goods
It is important not only to choose the right thing and pay safely, but also to receive it wisely.
Below there will be a small instruction for receiving purchases at the Russian Post, but in general it is suitable for any mail service (now there are a lot of intermediaries involved in the delivery of goods).
First, the parcel must be carefully inspected for damage. Until this moment, you should not put your signature on the notice - then you will not prove that the packaging was "somehow not like that."
If there are no visible defects in the parcel, it means that the post has fulfilled all the requirements for the safety of the parcels, and is not responsible for the contents. In other cases, in the presence of the postal worker, the parcel is opened, and its "insides" are checked for compliance with the order. All right? Then we sign for the receipt. Have a complaint? So, we draw up an act, the form of which is in any post office.
But there are also such incidents when, with an excellent appearance of the shipment, an unpleasant surprise awaits you inside: the wrong product, the ordered item is broken, or even a pebble for weight is flaunting nearby. This is entirely the fault of the seller, who turned out to be not so conscientious. The only option in this situation is to demand a refund from such a "huckster".
It is advisable to record the entire process of opening the package and extracting the contents with a video camera - then you will have serious arguments in your favor. Fortunately, now there are such cameras in almost any mobile phone.
So, the fourth rule - we carefully examine the mailings and their contents, and if there are any claims, we start a dispute with the seller .
Return option
Even making a purchase at a regular outlet, you will never be 100% insured against purchasing a low-quality product. How many such cases, when small defects, darkening the joy of purchase, are found already at home. With distance selling, this risk increases significantly - and you cannot touch the goods, and the monitor can distort the color gamut.
However, don't forget about the consumer rights law. He will protect you here too. When buying a low-quality product, you have the right to demand:
- reducing the cost of the ordered item, which will be commensurate with the detected defect;
- elimination of all defects by force or at the expense of the seller;
- replace the purchased product with a similar one.
Consequently, rule number 5 - even before placing an order, you need to study the conditions and terms of return and do not hesitate to defend your rights.
There are not many rules for shopping on the Internet. And they can not be called complex in any way. By following our recommendations, you will be able to secure the process of remote acquisition of your favorite things as much as possible. Enjoy the shopping!
