20 tips for safe online shopping
1. If it seems too good to be true ...
... It's probably too good to be true! In the example above (a true story, the front door of a colleague Ziggo) the seller still seemed a decent fellow. In fact it was a criminal who has the key of the porch had managed to get hold of. This enabled him to agree that any address, and enter through the back to Auke's money run away. A brand new smart phone or games console for half the usual retail price (or in this case just launched a gadget for just slightly below the retail price!) Is unfortunately a really good reason to look fast. Be careful with the latest electronics for bargain prices. Correct to demand and supply sites like eBay or Marketplace.
2. Warning labels
There are several labels that guarantee a shop complies with relevant laws and regulations and that they properly deal with your privacy. One is the Webshop Hallmark. This is the Ministry of Economic Affairs certification marks, which also serves as trade association of online shops in the Netherlands. Another well-known mark is IDIS Guarantee. Make sure that you, by clicking on the label, or from the shop to the site of the label is headed.
3. Read shop reviews
Read reviews of the shop. However is that satisfied customers less or nothing make themselves heard, while an unhappy customer may personally volschrijft a forum. So do not be discouraged by a negative story. Find a shop which the majority is positive in several specialized websites (think kieskeurig.nl, kelkoo.nl, or vergelijk.nl tweakers.net).
4. Know who you do business
It's good to know that webshops same laws and rules as a normal shop. There's even a special Distance Selling Act. For example, it states that as a consumer entitled to seven working days cooling off period (trial period). It is always good to find out whether you have a formal business dealing. Some tips to look for:
The shop has one or more shops where you can walk inside? (For example, our sales that Ziggo, the Ziggo Studios, or one of our Customer Counters)
Check kvk.nl whether the shop is registered with the Chamber of Commerce
Check the label (you get after clicking on the logo or the site of the label?)
5. Pay securely
When you purchase a remote going to do, it is wise to use PayPal. This is called an intermediary between buyer and seller. If you have problems with a purchase or delivery, you can ask PayPal to intervene. This way you can in extreme cases, without a struggle with recalcitrant or fraudulent seller get your money back. It is important to any complaints within the deadline with PayPal reports. Otherwise you risk nothing they can do for you.
6. Warranty
A common argument for not buying online is "for the warranty, I would prefer to shop around the corner. Yet you as a consumer including online purchases just right to handle defects or other problems, without you it cost to make. Search www.consuwijzer.nl a look at the words "shop guarantee".
7. Pick up as an interim solution
Do you still excited about what a great buy at a shop to do? Then pick a good interim solution. So you can take advantage of the generally lower prices in a shop and in many cases still old-fashioned pay upon receipt.
8. Avoid spam emails – Companies should only be emailing you with offers if you’ve subscribed to their newsletter, or have actively opted to receive them. If you get unsolicited mail then just delete it, as it could be a scammer posing as that company, just to get your bank details. If you do like the look of an offer, delete the email and visit the company’s website in your browser instead – that way you’ll find out if it’s for real.
9. Check for encryption – When it comes to entering your card details, address or anything sensitive about yourself, there’s one simple check you should make. The web address (URL) should begin with https://, as opposed to http://. The added ‘s’ means that it is secure, and encrypted by software that skews your details. This means it’s only available to your eyes, and the computer at the other end. If the site is not encrypted, then anyone can access the information.
10. Check for company information – all reputable companies will be proud to show what they’re all about, where they come from and how they can be contacted. At the bottom of the home page you should see links to pages like ‘About Us’ and ‘Privacy Policy’. They should also have a toll free customer service phone line, which shows they’re a grounded company, and not afraid to be contacted.
11. Check for approval certificates – These come from third party organizations, such as BBBOnline and TRUSTe and will be shown as a logo, or at the bottom of the homepage. Click the logo to visit their site, or google the name to see if it is an authentic certificate of safety and approval.
12. Look up the company – you can do this on websites that track well known (and lesser known) scammers, and report them worldwide. If you know of any phishing scams, or the like, you can contribute to these sites and stop others being caught out too. There are forums, websites and email newsletters available, and we recommend Scam.com for the latest news.
13. Listen to your instincts – once you’ve been shopping online for a while you’ll get to know what a reputable company’s website looks like. If something seems amiss, even if you can’t put your finger on it, then get out of there and do some background research. A decent company will hire a content writer that doesn’t make any spelling or grammatical mistakes, and they won’t need to have hundreds of adverts hanging around either.
14. Check shopping portals and communities – Take CouponSherpa for example: you can search the entire site for the shop name, and instantly find genuine consumer votes and ratings. If there’s nothing to be found, then you should be wary. This is a big site dedicated to online shopping, and it’s also moderated, so the information you find there is genuine.
15. Make use of your antivirus software – most antivirus software packages will offer safety for online shopping, and this is important. Pop ups on less-reputable sites could infect your computer, and without your knowing could view your credit details when you pay for an item..
If you’re in the market for new software and you’re a keen online shopper, go for one that offers the following:
- Assessment of a site’s reliability
- Alerts about possible privacy breaches
- Protection against spam and phishing scams
- Misleading advertising and offers
17. Last but not least, Google it – if you still can’t work out if a website or a coupon is ‘for real’ then just Google the name. Type keywords like ‘scam’ or ‘review’ after it to see if anything incriminating comes up. A reputable site should have honest reviews, indicating no problems with privacy.
If you’ve got any smart ways to ensure your safety when you’re shopping online then please let us know. Drop a comment in the box below!
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