Safety Tips for Online Shopping

 

Cares to be taken while shopping online:

• Think carefully before you decide to buy a thing online. Think twice before you Click on Buy button: why you need to buy the thing. Do you really need it or there are extraneous factors influencing your decision to buy or just you are flush with fund. The consumer is certainly benefitted by sales promotion advertisements by the companies but they also irrationally drive the Hidden Persuader of each consumer just to go on online shopping spree.
• Beware of onslaught of advertisements and marketing tactics creating sense of deprivation in consumer’s psyche as the online shoppers are easy targets
• Compare the same / similar makes/ models/ brands on websites other than those of the manufacturer (Price, features, Warranty, Terms and Conditions, Payment Options, etc)
• Buy only those things which your liquidity can afford. It is prudent not to avail EMI schemes for buying unproductive things. This could damage your Credit Rating in future lest you should default in repayment.
• Deal only with reputed online shopping websites
• It is important to protect your identity when you are connected to bank, online shopping websites, Credit Card Companies, etc with which you share vital information.  
• Make sure that you are dealing only with a secure website. There are a few apparent and a few subtle features indicating whether the website is secure or not : URL of a secure  website begins with “https” instead of “http”,  displays an icon of closed padlock in the beginning of URL, green colour in the URL Address Bar/ green colour of the fonts of URL, etc. Right Clicking on the padlock pops up the details of SSL secure certificate details. On the other hand, poor design of the website, grammatical errors, absence of Street Address/ Contact Numbers, popping up of flashy ad, etc are subtle indicators of an unsecure website.   
• All said and done, bear in mind that secure website certification vouches the legitimacy of the website but it does not reflect any thing on the business activity of the website owner. Deal cautiously with Freebies, Online Multi Level Marketing (MLM) Schemes, online solicitation of investment under the promise of Fabulous Return, Online Lotteries.  
• Check the SSL Certificate
•  If you are new to this channel of shopping, consult an experienced friend / colleague.
•  If the offer is too attractive to believe: HANDLE WITH CARE, even though the payment is “Cash on Delivery”.
• Read all Terms and Conditions of sale, particularly hidden charges, before placing the order
• Consult an expert before placing the order of an item which is bit technical
• Make payment through, preferably, Credit Card or Debit Card if you do not have a Credit Card. Do not make direct fund transfer from your a/c to website account.
• Check your bank account and confirm the amount debited in your account.
• Preserve the receipt/ invoice/ bill / delivery challan.
• In case of defect in the goods or deficiency in services, advise the online seller immediately with full details.
• If you decide to return the goods and seek refund, exercise your right as a consumer as per the Terms and Conditions of sale.
•  Online Shopping is not confined to brand new products only. Online sale of second hand / used goods is also now gaining momentum. Explore it and weigh its pros and cons of buying such goods.

The Advantages of Online Shopping:

• Competitive price
• Wider choice
•  Saves time 
• Availability of Shopping Window for longer time: Round the clock, Round the Globe.
• Ease of consulting family members while zeroing in the selection of products/services
• Wider payment options, in terms of mode and period
• Saves the shoppers from issues of availability of vehicle, traffic and parking
• Home delivery
• No crowd to push into or queue to irritate the shopper
• No need to scout in the store to locate the goods to be bought
• More hygienic, particularly during epidemic 
• No need to bother about the distance from the supplier
• More Clarity about the Terms of Sale (if the shopper takes trouble to read fine prints)

The Disadvantages of Online Shopping:

•  Concerns regarding the quality till the product is tested / use
•  Concerns regarding the quantity at the time of delivery
•   Credibility of the online shopping sites, particularly new sites
•  Apprehension of phishing and Identity Theft (details of Credit/Debit Card, Bank Account, etc)
• Tendency for impulsive purchases (shopping without justifiable need of the things)  
•  No thrill of shopping which in-store shopping gives
•  Apprehension of breakage of fragile product
•  Delay in delivery (of course in few cases)

The Online Shopping has now changed the way the goods and services are purchased and delivered like the Industrial Revolution (1750 – 1850) had changed the way the goods were made before. Online Shopping has become a popular channel of purchasing goods and services during last 4 – 5 years amongst the techno-savvy people (may not necessarily be university educated people), particularly the young blood.  Of late, due to COVID-19 pandemic, there is an exponential spike in numbers of online shoppers, amount spent and varieties of goods (toilet paper to ornaments and jewellery) purchased. Most importantly, the pandemic has made the in-store shoppers, who were averse to Online Shopping, to resort Online Shopping. The total global sales volume of Online Shopping in 2019 was US$ 3.35 trillion (million million) which is higher than the GDP of all the countries individually except the USA, China, Japan and Germany. It is estimated that this volume will be double in 2022. The size of some of the Online Shopping companies and their growth rate is mind boggling.

The future of Online Shopping:

To put in one word: Bright. The concept is very dynamic – true for all subjects connected with information technology. Increasing computer literacy, consumerism, income level, urbanization, changing life style, improvement in last mile logistics, better warehousing facilities, inventions, fashion, etc will certainly provide required momentum in future. Warehouse robotics and Drone enabled deliveries will make the concept bloom in full colours.

(Comments of the readers are welcome. The blogger can be reached at gnpatel@gujaratinfotech.com)

"Disclaimer: The information given in the blog is only for general awareness and must not be construed as a professional advice. Readers are advised to consult the professionals in any subject matter of the blog before acting on the information discussed in the blog. The readers who are acting otherwise are doing so at their own risk."

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