Window shopping while walking on the pavement and staring with envy at dummies wearing clothes and accessories people always dream about has a different charm about it.
This is followed by thought of coming back to the place and buying on a later date, but till then the fear of losing that particular dress or shoe to some other customer keeps lurking in back of mind. Remedy to the situation?
Shop from online stores with numerous stores offering multiple brands- some world-class other comparatively lesser known but unlimited varieties in colors, patterns, styles, etc. What more, it could be done from the convenience of home, in luxury of which one can shop incessantly till the pockets could no longer be found. However, even this way has its pitfalls that should be wadded through carefully.
Let us begin to understand, what one needs to be alert about whether shopping handbags, shoes or just about anything that appeals to the senses.
Unmindful online shopping could lead to-
Identity Theft: With the tremendous reach of technology, its intervention in personal life has become quite expected, but when crime also starts probing personal lives, sifting through personal data, shopping gets dangerous because it has life altering potential. Such frauds are difficult to detect unless reflected in bank statements or credit reports and difficult to prove as well, causing great distress and disappointments.
Purchase of counterfeit goods: Generally, these companies take care in choosing their vendors and goods provided by them, but policing sometimes is not up to the mark. This leaves a gap to be exploited by those who are expert in bending if not actually breaking the laws. However, this is not a routine with top Internet retailers, chances of getting hooked by a third party vendor through these sites remains there.
Over-budget Spending: One of the many hazards of relaxing online shopping is spending lesser time in making a purchase decision, surfing more and thus selecting more things to buy, getting hooked by Internet marketing tactics of ‘limited units in stock’ or ‘limited time left to purchase’ and more such strategies. Caught in the heat of shopping, shoppers tend to go out of the budget they had stipulated for themselves, more by necessity of making purchase by credit cards rather than cash.
The other concerns include fake review of the products that haven’t been in real accessed or used by the reviewer, no full disclosure regarding cost made by the seller until the checkout process that too in fine print or loss of the article before delivery while payment has been made beforehand.
But everything is not horrible when let’s say you want to buy shoes online or evening dress or kitchen appliance or anything else. Few safety measures and worries can go down up to 70-80%. Read on.
- Safeguard your personal and financial info and beware of giving it our unconsciously. Destroy bills and other bits of paper that have even the smallest or the most irrelevant of information.
- Keep a track of credit reports and bank statements to monitor the spending and maintain record of it. Any unauthorized transaction cannot go unnoticed if this measure is followed religiously.
- Shop only from big and reputed companies. These companies have garnered trust for their smooth and streamlined procedures and delivery processes.
- Never forget to see if the payment gateway is encrypted and secured. They should be authorized by Verisign or Thawte. Checking security certificates before giving card details is highly recommended.
- Do not forget to read fine writings given below and on sides. There might be catches waiting to shock you.
- Do not trust review sites unless there is a reason to do so. Asking friends and family who have used the same product or service might be better.
- Making use of ‘Cash on Delivery’ option also reduces the chances of overspending as well as deals with the issue of ‘loss of product’.
- Be wary of phishing mail and discounts or prices that seem too good to be true.
Information is the way out of many risks and hazards and this is true for making purchases from online shopping stores as well.
Stay safe and on guards!!
Author of this article is a fashion enthusiast and blogger who loves to write reviews and experiences about branded fashion accessories like Clarks products – handbags, shoes etc. He keeps eyes on recent shopping trends and the changes that take place in the fashion world.
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Really Great information. Thank for this Best Blog.