Shopping online can be very relieving, cheaper and time-saving as long as it is done safely but it can just as well become quite risky.There are, however, a few tips that the Federal Trade Commission, according to North Jersey magazine, has offered to those engaging online shopping.
Be acquainted with the producer/seller. Get a confirmation of the online seller's physical address and phone number should you have questions or difficulties. Acknowledge that genuine companies never ask for personal data in an e-mail or pop-up message. Such messages should be ignored.
Be acquainted with the product. Do not rush into buying something you know too little about, look careful for a detailed description of it. Some terms used in such descriptions should be subjected to circumspection and close examination, for example, "too-good-to-be-true" prices which may very well indicate forged.
Be acquainted with the price. Do not buy without looking into price comparison on Web sites. To be given the best consumer protections, pay not with cash but with a credit card.
Be interested in the terms of the deal, such as refund policies and delivery dates. Know very well the seller's return and refund policies. Sellers are obliged by the FTC to deliver products as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no such precise date is specified.
Keep trace and records of any online transactions you make, such as description and price of the product, the online receipt and copies of correspondence with the seller. Pay great attention to your credit card statements when you are requested for such.
One thing you cannot be overcareful with is your personal information. You must never use e-mail as a method for sending financial information like your credit card number, checking account or Social Security number. If you wish to make any payment via an organization's Web site, try to find indicators that the site is protected such as a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL that starts "https." The s means secure.
Always search for the privacy policy. Normally, you should be told what personal information is collected from you, with what purpose and how that information will be used. If such privacy policy is not to be found or is hardly comprehensible – you may want to redirect your search to another site.
