It is that online shopping has turned into the most convenient way to find what you want. You can avail all those essentials that you want at a great price. And that is not all! Most people prefer online shopping over traditional shopping because they get their essentials delivered at their doorsteps’, especially during this pandemic. But along with the rise of eCommerce platforms, online theft has also increased.
Every day several people find themselves in the trap of online fraudsters while shopping online. So, how can you find a safer online experience? Now, most of you would answer that buying and installing an SSL certificate plays a crucial role. But here are some other factors that also need to be considered.
Surfing HTTPS websites only.
Many of you would be new to the word, while some are already conscious about HTTPS. HTTPS is Hyper Text Transfer Protocol secure that offers you secure communication over a web. And several eCommerce websites employ transport layer security certificates to encrypt the communication between server and browser. You need an SSL certificate in platforms that deal with payment. So, if you are surfing eCommerce platforms, make sure that they are HTTPS.
Evaluating the standings of the merchants
One more determinant that plays a crucial role in online shopping is merchant reputation. Many people think that it is the platform that sells these items. But different sellers sell their products; it is just like visiting various supermarkets.
If you visit the supermarket, you buy an item only after ensuring about the reputation. Similarly, in window shopping, also you need to find a reputed merchant who has positive reviews. To find reputable merchants, you can check the product ratings and customer reviews on a seller’s specific product. If you find a lousy rating, you must refrain from buying goods from such merchants. Even if you find an affordable deal, you must check the reputation of the merchant.
Stay away from the too good scam.
Online business is all about attractive deals and discounts. Merchants always compete to offer you the best value. But some individual merchants offer you too good to be true deals. That implies you will get the product in an incredible deal. Now, think, why would a merchant sell your product at such a low price?
It is only when the product has some flaws. So, it would be best if you stay away from any such scams. Do not buy products that are available in incredible deals. It would be rather useful to buy those that are available in its real value. So, if you are going to buy anything online, you must stay away from any such deal that is far too good to be true.
Understand the terms and restrictions before buying any product.
Most people buy a product in window shopping without reading their terms and conditions. And this happens with 99% of the people. Later, when they try to claim to return a product, they find themselves in big trouble. So, before buying any appliance in online shopping, you must read out the terms and conditions, especially about the return window and the conditions behind it. Once you receive a product, you have no option other than keeping it if it is a non-returnable product.
Do not use an online platform that asks you for irrelevant information.
Generally, online platforms do not need any other information other than your login credentials to buy any item. In some cases, if you are making pre-paid payments, you must be cautious while furnishing any detail. Only enter the pin if the website has a high-end security certificate. You may get fake calls where people would address themselves as merchants to get your account details in many cases. In such cases, you must not provide any details and provide their number to cops.
Create a strong password.
Every online store saves your credit card/debit cards to the saved cards list if you make multiple payments with cards. So, in such cases, your account must stay secure. And one thing that keeps your account safe is the regular changing of passwords. You should change your passwords at regular intervals of time and log out from all the sessions.
Further, it would be great if you also create a strong password that is tedious to crack. So, if you are using an online platform for online shopping, create a strong password.
Use credit cards/PayPal instead of debit cards.
If you are using window shopping to buy items, you must not use debit cards. This is because debit cards have lower security protections as compared to credit cards. On the other hand, credit cards have some limits for transactions. So, all your money would still be safe in your bank account.
Further, using PayPal would be an ideal option.
Always check the shipping partners.
Most of the online platforms do not have their delivery services. So, they outsource their delivery to a delivery partner. But some delivery agencies have a terrible reputation. They damage the product during shipment or will not deliver the product despite marking it as delivered. In worst cases, delivery agents turn out to be thieves.
Now that you know that besides an SSL certificate, several other reasons can ruin your online shopping experience.
Endnote
Keeping it brief, these were all the pro tips to ensure safe online shopping. So, if you are buying something online, make sure you are considering all the above points.
