7 PRACTICAL TIPS TO SHOP BEST ONLINE
The internet has made transaction very easy and provided the luxury of buying across continents from the comfort of your home with a phone. However, to many people online shopping platforms have fetched them regrets and sorrow. On Money Manager this week, I like to share with you seven practical tips to shop best online and avoid regrets.
Beware of Impulsive Buying
The ease of pressing a few buttons to select and pay for a product/service makes impulsive buying easier. That’s why you should be careful to ensure that in your online shopping, you shop based on decision your reached based on sound economic reasoning. Impulsive buying has been the bane of many people’s finance; don’t let the ease of buying online ground your finance.
One of the things I do to avoid impulsive online purchases is to plan my purchases and buy purely based on need. Even when I see something I like and need, I put it on my wish list pending when I have consulted my stakeholders – my pocket, my needs and financial goals. Once they approve it, I buy. Until then, the product/service remains on my wish list.
Check Before You Click
Even when I have a need for something and my stakeholders have approved it, I don’t just pay. I examine the product. I encourage you to closely inspect the product/ service the just as you do in our traditional market. Be sure it’s really what you want. Be sure the specifications and other relevant details about the product to ensure it’s really what you want or what was advertised in the link that got you to the site. Read product features in detail and the service description. In fact, for me, I had to call to the seller or the company rep to understand and clause that is not clear; to be sure what they described is what I really want.
Read Terms and Conditions
One other thing that can help you achieve regret free online shopping is to read the terms and conditions for the product/service you want to buy. It’s unfortunate that many of us don’t read terms and condition; nothing spoil provided money is not involved. From my experience hosting my and that of my clients’ websites online, I have found that some people put some clauses in their terms and condition to entangle their customers because people hardly take time to read it. After my painful experience with my first host, I decided to take time to study terms and conditions before paying another person. It helped me escape from some traps until I ended up with my host now who I have not had any cause for regret hosting with them.
It’s is usually long; no doubt. But if you take time to read it, it will save you regrets and loss.
Shop on Dependable Platforms
The same way we have fraudulent business men in traditional market, we have them on the web. Do your best to shop on platforms where you are sure to have the right product delivered to you and at the agreed time.
Most online shops spend a lot on advertising; but don’t be carried away by advertising. Be sure you are buying on dependable platforms. Ask your friends you may have used the platform or knows someone who has used it. They are more likely to tell you the whole truth that any advert.
Also check out testimonials on the site, reviews on product and the volume of sales. It could give you an idea on how dependable the shop is.
Check Other Shops
The same way you check different shops in traditional market before you buy, it’s crucial you check as many shops as possible to ensure you best quality for the best price. Please be sure you are looking for the same product on every platform you want to check to ensure you don’t get cheaper price for a substandard product.
Is Better Buying Online?
Before you buy online, be sure it’s better than offline. From my experience it’s better to buy some things at the store nearby than paying online. Proximity and the advantage of touching the physical product you want before making payment makes online chop more attractive; though some online shops allow you pay when your product is delivered – pay on delivery.
Before You Drop Your Bank Details
Just as online shops save you the time and stress of going out to buy from the traditional market; it can also expose you to fraud.
How?
Many times you pay for the product or service you are buying with your either credit/debit card (what we call ATM cards). To make payment, you have to divulge your account details with your password, authorizing them to make withdrawal from your account for what you are paying for. Many have been duped because of this. Don’t be scared!
Here are what you can do:
As much as possible, don’t shop on insecure sites. You can recognize an insecure site by looking at the URL section of the site. Sites like: http://chisos.com is not secure. However, sites like https://chisos.com is secure. When you don’t find ‘s’ after http but see padlock logo, it’s a sign that the site is secure.
Another step you can take is to use a separate account for your shopping. That’s what I do. One of my accounts is dedicated for shopping online and that’s why I hardly leave money on it. I just transfer money to it when I want to make transaction.
These are my suggestions on how to do shop best online. I will like to hear yours. Kindly drop yours on the comment box below. On until next week on Money Hub, know that money is meant to be made, managed and maximized its full capacity.
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