|
Common problems
Finding the product, and choosing a supplier, can be hard, as there
are so many websites and online retailers. Careful searching using
brand names or the names of types of products may save you time
checking out lots of sites. One good place to start may be to use
the online service of a high-street store that is well known to
you. This has the additional advantage that you can complain in
person or return goods if necessary. Listen to others advice and
recommendations about good sites to use and about their experiences.
There are many good online retailers with no high street stores,
but remember to check that there are proper contact details including
postal address and phone number so that you can get in touch if
you have doubts or questions about their service.
Your ISP may have allied with certain retailers to give their operations
a prominent position on their website, but this does not mean that
those retailers offer you the best deals. Shopping directory sites,
such as www.british-shopping.com may help you to find UK-based online
retailers. There are also services that can help you find bargains,
as sites like www.checkaprice.com compare prices from a range of
different online retailers.
Safety and security during online ordering and payment are vital
to consumers, and a lack of confidence about security among many
people has held back the growth of online shopping. The news media
sometimes has stories of commercial websites being infiltrated by
computer hackers, or credit card numbers being stolen online. However
it is likely that fraudsters are less likely to get hold of your
credit card details over the Internet than they are over the phone,
through the post or in a restaurant. If you take some simple precautions
you can enjoy shopping online with a high degree of security.
- Make sure you are on a "secure" site before you give
your name, address or credit card details. Look for a padlock
or a key symbol, which are usually in the bottom corner of your
screen. On a secure site, your information is scrambled into code,
(encrypted) before being sent over the Internet, and stored on
a secure database. If the company want to pass on your details
to other companies, it should give you the right to say no. Look
for a tick box on the site, and make a choice about disclosing
your details.
- Do not send your credit card details in an email, this is not
a secure means of transmitting information and can be copied easily
to others.
- Check your credit card statements for suspicious entries. If
you spot anything shady, query the transaction and consider cancelling
that card.
- Keep records of all your transactions. Print details from the
webpage you used, write down records of order numbers and billing
address. Keep copies of any emails you exchange with the supplier.
- Think before you buy. If the online advertisement or junk email
offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- Remember the hidden extras, which can push up the price of your
online purchase. Postage and packing costs, VAT and Customs charges
for goods from overseas can add greatly to the final cost.
- If you do have problems with an online purchase, contact your
local council's Trading Standards office for their specific advice.
You can involve the police too if a fraud has taken place.
|
