Like most things, shopping online has its good and bad aspects. The more you know about online shopping, the more good things you will find about it, though. This piece is meant to provide the key material you need most.
Online Stores
If you’re doing a lot of online shopping, make sure your spyware protection is up-to-date. Because of the sensitive personal and financial information involved, online shopping is a prime target for scammers and hackers who want to steal identification or money. Make sure you notify the webmaster of any respectable site that shows up infected. Either wait to make your purchase, or find an uninfected store.
Not all online stores run weekend ads, so make sure you are checking your deal sites in the middle of the week as well. A lot of physical stores start their sales on Saturday or Sunday, and to stay competitive, online stores start their sales earlier. Great bargains in the middle of the week are yours to reap.
Don’t risk your information and finances on a site that is unfamiliar or shady. Become familiar with security symbols such as Cybertrust or Verisign to help decide if a website is legitimate and concerned with your security.
If you haven’t bought anything from an online auction, know how disputes are usually resolved first, before buying something. Many websites act as an intermediary to resolve disputes. Some sites act only as a venue and don’t intervene in disputes.
Online shopping is most safely done from a secure computer connection such as the one you maintain in your home. Hackers look for WI-Fi connections in public places when they are scouting for victims, so avoid shopping when using them.
Look for the URL near the top of your screen before you enter your information on a website. The web address should begin with “https”. This means the site is secure. If the “https” is not present, then fraud is a possibility; your data is not guaranteed safe storage.
A lot of stores are going to give you a discount code when you follow the store on social media or agree to receive their email newsletter. Subscribing to a newsletter or even “liking” a Facebook page for a product can score you savings and special offers.
Keep your non-urgent purchases for the holiday season. Like actual stores, online stores offer sales during holidays like President’s Day and July Fourth. While some sites have sales on holidays, others will ship items for free. There are even stores that will offer both.
Coupon Codes
If the item you are buying is expensive, it is a good idea to pay a little more for a better shipping service. This allows the package to be insured, thus protecting you further. Speak with a neighbor you trust to watch for your package if you’re not going to be home during the delivery.
Search for coupon codes prior to making an online purchase. Coupons sites list current coupon codes for many popular merchants. If a code does not come up in your search results, search the store name plus “coupon code.” You may have considerable success yourself.
With your new base of knowledge, you should be ready to get the ball rolling and realize big savings. These simple tips can drastically reduce how much you pay for even basics. After you start noticing how much you have saved, you will appreciate this information all the more.
Your credit card details are at risk when you shop online so make sure you look after them. Shop on secure websites only. To make sure you are on a secure site, look for the small padlock icon. This generally is found where the URL bar is on your browser, near the top right.