- Making a Purchase Online
- How to Shop Safely Online
- Buying and Selling on eBay
- Buying and Selling on Craigslist
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
How to Shop Safely Online
Shopping online is every bit as safe as shopping at your local retail store. The big online retailers are just as reputable as traditional retailers, offering safe payment, fast shipping, and responsive service.
Shop Safely
Some consumers are wary about buying items online, but online shopping can be as safe as shopping at a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer—as long as you take the proper precautions.
Make sure the online retailer prominently displays its contact information and offers multiple ways to connect. You want to be able to call the retailer if something goes wrong—and not rely solely on email communication.
Look for the site’s return policy and satisfaction guarantee. You want to be assured that you’ll be taken care of if you don’t like what you ordered.
A reputable site should tell you whether an item is in stock and how long it will take to ship—before you place your order.
For the best protection, pay by major credit card. Many retailers also let you use PayPal to pay via credit or debit card, or electronic funds transfer from your bank.
Make sure the retailer uses a secure server for its checkout process. Look in the Address box for the letters https:// (not the normal http://) before the URL; you should also see the “lock” symbol before or after the address. If the checkout process is not secure, do not proceed with payment.
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