The online platform has made it possible for people to shop in a very convenient manner. From your smart device or PC, you get access to a wide range of goods and services. You can easily compare prices and read customer reviews, making it easy to decide on what to purchase. However, certain risks come with convenience. Online hackers can access your information, and you can end up losing a lot of money. You must, therefore, ensure that the website has the SSL Certificate. You will also find people trying to scam you in various ways. It is not uncommon to hear that you pay for goods and never received them because they do not exist. You can also never be quite sure about the quality of the items because you do not get to see them physically before paying for them. We will explore how to shop on the online platform safely in our article below.
Only Shop from Reputable Websites
The one thing you will find in abundance on the online platform is the number of people who are running e-commerce platforms. Unfortunately, with the numbers, it can become challenging to determine who is legitimate and who is not. You must, therefore, take the time to do your research to ensure the legitimacy of the platform you want to purchase an item from.
Confirm That the Website Is Secure
One of the most significant issues with shopping online is that you give out your card details and other pertinent personal information. You must, therefore, take the time to ensure that you are operating on a platform that has an SSL certificate. Look for HTTPS and avoid those that are HTTP. The S determines that the website has the relevant security measures in place. Look for a padlock symbol next to the website address. If you click on the padlock symbol, you will get the site certificate information.
You will find some browsers that have a green bar and the business name, showing that they have the EV SSL Certificate. It is an indicator that the website owner has taken steps to ensure additional security. The extended validation (EV) SSL is the highest level of validation, and the owner goes through stringent verification processes to receive it.
Read Customer Reviews
There is no better way to know that you are dealing with a legitimate eCommerce store than by reading the customer reviews. You get to know about the quality of products, how the customer service is, issues around shipping, how to get the best deals, among other things.
Carefully Read the Terms and Conditions
Many people will purchase a product without taking the time to read the terms and conditions. Different companies have different policies regarding their processes. Such include returns, exchange of goods, warranty, and payment terms, among others. Ignorance is no defense, and you may end up losing a lot of money simply because you did not take the time to understand the terms of purchase fully.
You must also take the time to read their privacy policy so that you know whether your information is always safe. Specific rules govern the use of customer information that the website owners must abide by.
Protect Your Card Information
You must take the necessary steps to protect your credit card information when you are shopping on the online platform. You can do this by: –
- Only shopping on a website, you trust and one that has SSL certificate.
- Avoid using your credit card in public places using public computers or Wi-Fi
- Make sure that you have a strong password
- Ensure that you take the necessary steps to protect your computer from hackers and viruses. Ensure that you have the relevant anti-spyware and antivirus on your computer
- Take advantage of organizations such as the Better Business Bureau to confirm that the store you are dealing with is legitimate
- Avoid using your debit card for transactions; credit cards offer you more protection against fraud charges. You could also lose all the money in your checking account if someone gets access to your debit card information
- Keep a copy of your online receipts so that you can compare the amounts to what you have on the billing statement
- Be careful about the amount of personal information you share
Pay Attention to The Pricing and Promotions
Taking the time to do a price comparison will save you a lot of money. You will find the same product selling different price points on various e-commerce stores. Another fantastic way to save money is by taking advantage of the promotions available to customers. Some will give discounts, lower prices during certain times, among other promotional activities. Some of the notable stores have shopping apps that will provide you with access to excellent money-saving promotions.
You must, however, be very careful about offers that seem to be able to good to be true. You must ask yourself why the seller is willing to go so low on the pricing. It could be indicative of inferior products. You may also be giving away information to disreputable people that they could use for other purposes. It all goes back to dealing with legitimate platforms where you are sure that whatever you are buying is good quality.
Final Thoughts
E-commerce platforms offer convenience and easy access to goods and products. You must, however, take the time to ensure that you protect yourself from any risks that are inherent in such platforms. Only deal with websites that have an SSL certificate. The ones with EV SSL certificate are even better because it shows the website owner takes security very seriously. You must also research the platform to ensure that it is legitimate. Make price comparisons and read the terms and conditions very carefully. Also, ensure that you are watchful about where you use your credit card so that you do not make it easy for the hackers to access your information.
