While there are a few security concerns, but going for good, reputed online stores is a sure shot way of being safe online. My wife recently purchased footwear from a store online. I was a bit tentative, since I hadn't seen it before. But after her order was completed, I can safely say that it is one of the better e-stores out there which offers quality products and excellent services.
As a web developer I can tell you a few things to look for on a website to know that you might not get scammed, look for a corporate office location, customer service numbers, emails, owners, or team members. When I mention that I'm a web developer, I say that because I can build a website that looks legitimate just like any other e-commerce store. Many of them these days could easily download pictures that say they are a trusted, and all sorts of other types of images could be downloaded that would state things like 100% money back, free shipping. If you can't talk to someone one the phone, or get other basic information that any other local store would offer due to regulations in regions, then you would be better off just looking for another store online, it's worth if you won't loose $200 dollars for a order that will never come.
I had mixed experiences with online shopping, so I understand your fear: there is always a little bit of risk involved. However the best option is to shop only from trusted sources: Amazon comes to mind, since they have a solid customer service. You can also try to shop on Ebay, but double check the feedback rating of the seller. Having a 95% or more positive feedback rating and an Ebay store is a huge plus and should be enough. If you are buying from private sellers try to check their credentials on the internet and make a quick Google search - if something looks suspicious, try to avoid the site.
I can understand the fear of online shopping, I was the same time when I first started. But once you learn which sites to stay away from and which ones are okay it gets a little easier. You want to stick with well known online brands that ship worldwide like Amazon, Ebay or sites like that. You can do a search to find more sites like Amazon that are for your country, that's how I started and so far I have had any problems from online shopping except for my first time.
I have always had good luck with Target and Walmart if I need to return something. I simply go to the nearest store to return the item. Amazon is timely with their deliveries and variety of product.
I perfectly understand where you're coming from, I used to be really scared of buying online as well, but I realized it's not about what you buy, but where you buy. There are some pretty shitty eBay sellers, as well as Aliexpress and even trust worthy online stores. I once ordered a skirt from eBay that I paid about 2.50 for and it was the ugliest thing ever. So you just have to know where you're buying it from and what the reviews say about the product.
I used to have the same issue with you, however, I can not resist the low price on Taobao, so I start shopping online and cannot wait to buy each time. But I have one rule, only shopping branded products with high discounts. In the past year I spent more than $10,000 online, the prodcuts range from socks, fruits to TV, notebook and phone, all of them are perfectly with low price. So I think the most important thing shopping online is how to shopping smartly to avoid being cheated or getting involved into every kinds of trouble.
If you're that concerned with shopping online because of your first experience, there are a few things that you can now do to ease your mind further before taking a second try. The first is to make sure that you pay with paypal, while credit cards do allow you to dispute the charge and get your money back, this process seems a lot easier if you use paypal. With paypal, if an item hasn't arrived, you just tell them and they contact the seller for you and get it straightened out by either merchandise or a refund in full. Secondly, before you buy anything, use Google to search for information on the reputability of the website where you're planning on making the purchase. However, take these reviews with a grain of salt. Some companies pay employees and other people to write fake reviews and other companies will sabotage the competition by writing fake reviews as well. I will say though that if the majority of the votes are very bad (or very good) then you should take heed before deciding to shop there. Also, make sure to investigate the terms and conditions of their return policy before ordering an item. It is easy for them to make things look nice online, but once they are in your own home, sometimes it doesn't look quite so glamorous.
This is something amazing and will say that would let us enjoy ourselves a lot. I am not afraid of online shopping but this will be really having such a massive time as it. Log In must be appealing.
