10 Untold Rules of Shopping Online
Online shopping is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to shop for everything from home and kitchen items to clothing, but how do you keep yourself safe when you’re sending such personal information like credit cards and full names through websites? By following a handful of simple rules, you can protect yourself while still taking advantage of the ease of shopping online.
Stick to Known Retailers
Knowing a retailer can help you know if they are safe ones to shohavp with. If you don’t know the retailer, do your homework. Research them online to see what people say about them. Don’t rely on their star ratings on their own sites, because those could easily be fake ones put up by the company.
Shop at Secure Sites
Secure sites, like Rediff Online Shopping Festival, encrypt their data as they go from their website to their order forms, protecting your personal information and credit card numbers. There are a couple of ways to check whether a site is secure or not. If the URL includes an S, such as HTTPS or the rarely-used SHTTP rather than just the standard HTTP, then you know the site is a secure one. Another way to tell is if you see a padlock on the line before the URL.
Use a Credit Card
Never trust a site that wants you to send a check or money order for payment. These types of payments make it much harder to get your money back if you are unsatisfied. It lets you protest charges with your credit card company instead of just with the business.
Know the Return Policies
Make sure to read up on the return policies so you don’t get stuck with a product that doesn’t work like it’s supposed to, or that isn’t up to par. It’s best to avoid places that don’t accept returns at all in order to protect yourself and not waste money.
Keep Antivirus Up to Date
Many sites that are trying to steal information expect customers to be lazy about keeping their malware and anti-virus software up to date. By making sure you stay on top of this, you can protect yourself from the sites that are hoping to rip you off or steal your identity.
Check the Company’s Privacy Policy
You don’t want to go to a company or site that will sell your personal information to other places or companies. Check the privacy policy on the site, and look for ones that promise that your information is kept confidential.
Compare Prices
Make sure you compare prices to other sites that you know are reputable so you aren’t paying much more for an item than what it is worth.
Don’t Shop in Public
You don’t want to be handling personal information and credit card numbers out in public. You never know when someone might be watching to take advantage. Instead, do your shopping at your home where you know your information can be secure to prying eyes.
Keep Records
Save all information regarding how much you paid, when you paid, and when the item is supposed to arrive, as well as confirmation numbers. If you need to try and dispute a charge, you’ll want all of these records handy.
Beware of Phishing Scams
No trustworthy or reputable store will ask you to confirm personal information through an email or a text. These are usually scams and should be deleted. If you are worried, call the company’s customer service line to ask them about it.
Happy Shopping! By the way did you yet start shopping at the Rediff Online Shopping Festival?
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