A Guide to Online ShoppingI'm often asked to explain more about this, some vistors are particularly wary of using online shopping sites, the vast majority of sites process millions of pounds in orders every year with no problems. Making a purchase via your computer is just as safe as making a purchase over the phone. Just as with mail-order purchasing there are reliable merchants, and others whom you might not trust so readily. Safe Shopping - My Top 10 Tips Pay by Credit Card - This will give you added protection because your credit card issuer becomes jointly responsible for the goods you buy. So if the goods arrive damaged or you experience any problems receiving a refund, the credit card company will assist you. Look for the Padlock [ Be careful about spending too long surfing for a bargain - it can be addictive and costly. Keep Your Personal Information Personal - Don't hand over any personal information that isn't necessary and if this concerns you, you are protected by the 1998 Data Protection Act. Look For Contact Details - If you do decide to shop elsewhere, beware of any online stores that fail to reveal information about themselves. Any reputable online store, will provide concise contact information and are more than happy to answer any queries you may have. Check the Returns Policy - Make sure that you check a merchant's returns policy before you buy. Such as who pays for it, but if the goods are faulty, the store should pay all postage costs. It is important to keep any original packing. Are there any hidden costs? - Be Aware! Make sure that you take into account delivery charges and VAT (if not included in the overall price) when making a purchase. Keep hold of confirmation documents - After you have made an online purchase you will receive a confirmation email within about one working day. It is important that you print this information out and keep a note of your unique order reference number. Know Your Rights - You have exactly the same rights as in a high street shop. The goods should fit the product description and be as satisfactory as described online. Learn to keep any site you buy from bookmarked in your 'favourites' so you can return to it quickly. WHY BUY ONLINE? Buying on-line does have a number of potential advantages :- Price: Items are usually cheaper on the web because warehouse and staff costs are lower, and because online shops want to attract and keep customers. Convenience: Shopping can be much easier on the web. It can be done at home, at a convenient time and be very quick. Wide Choice: Internet shopping allows you access to a wide range of shops all around the world, some of which do not exist on the High Street. Quick Delivery: Most internet sites are able to deliver within a few days,or sooner Security: Security is far less of a problem than it appears if you make sure you only shop at sites that offer secure payment procedures (most do). These procedures ensure that before you send any credit or debit card details, you are moved to a secure part of the site where all the information sent over the web is scrambled and protected . In fact, there are very few reports of card theft from well-known sites on the net. |
] or the key [ 
] - This is seen in the bottom right-hand corner of your browser window.
You will also often receive a prompt box to let you know that you
are entering a secure area of a site. This site offers this security
method of payment by encrypting your credit card and personal information
so that a third party can't retrieve anything at all! This uses exactly
the same software systems as any mail order or high street shop. Also
the address will start https instead of http.