I love shopping, I can even spend a day walking from one Shop To another. I'm Having time restraints lately due to mother duties, that's why I'm having a go with online shopping. What troubles me is the legitimacy of the online shops. How will I know that after i have deposited the money, my parcel will arrive? I have trust issues regarding online shopping because a friend of mine experienced being scammed. I don't want to undergo the same ordeal as hers. Please, do you have any tips on how to choose a reliable online shop?
It is best to stick with the big names like Amazon.com. You can also set up a PayPal account that will assist you in any potential dispute processes. I have a separate bank account that I use for online shopping. I only keep a small balance and will add funds as needed for purchases. It is the same account I have on PayPal. This way if something bad should happen, my main bank account isn't compromised.
I usually stick to big stores as well (I'm always at amazon for something) or else the online version of a store you shop at regularly. That way, if anything happens, you at least know there's a brick and mortar address where you can go to file a complaint.
I also only stick to big online stores that I know. I also will buy from a website if it comes I highly recommended from a friend.
I don't buy anything from little rinky dink sites. Everything that I purchase is from a well known business. Too many time people will try to get over by creating a low quality site just to get your money. It's happened to me before, and since then I only shop at major stores. If the site looks like it was created over night, and they don't have a contact us page, then I would avoid doing business with them.
Bizarrely enough, I've seen really amateur-job sites connected to legitimate businesses. The Helmut Lang site, for example, is really nice now, but a few years ago, their site was a piece of you-know-what. Helmut Lang is a well respected fashion line. I can't afford their clothes, but a few years ago, I could have built them a better website. If you didn't know anything about them, then you might have thought they were a fly-by-night company.
Well, I tend to go on my gut and a bit of research. I only every purchase through PayPal as your card details are kept safe. I also check if the site itself has a rating with BBB and if they are a safe and secure site. I also do not keep lots of funds in my PayPal account, just in case. I have not had any problems and I have been purchasing online for almost a decade.
I would go with big names like Amazon or eBay. It's best to do some research on websites that you don't really know. I look at ratings and comments from buyers, as well.
The best way to know if it's legit is to Google the shop. If you find reviews that are good and seem to be legit, then it's most probably legit. But to be on the safe side, try searching the shop name together with the word "scam". Sometimes, you'll find your answer with just that. And it's not always about site design, mind you. I frequent a bunch of online shops that have somewhat ugly site layouts, but they are legit. I've bought from them all at least once.
I only shop at reputable shops anyway. The only times it might not be from something I can mostly guarantee would be Ebay sometimes, but you can look at past reviews/reputation from the store. If you're ever unsure, just search around online to see what other people are saying about it. The internet is very opinionated, hehe.
I don't immediately jump ship on any online shop and buy things from them in a whim. I do some intensive research for reviews that would prove that the site is a legitimate one. But I prefer buying from Amazon and other established online shops rather than small online stores that seem shady.
I have conclusion that any clothing site, especially for designer brands should not be trusted unless it is the official site for that particular designer brand. The amount of fake websites on the net amazes me. They should really crack down on all fakes that are being made around the world.
Always shop at big name companies like Amazon, or the website version of an actual store. Ebay is a not so good place to shop for electronics and other expensive things in general, but I think for the small items then it's worth taking the risk, just remember to look at the sellers feedback.
Today most of people like to do online shopping still there are few people who have the fear of loosing their money. You can read the feedback of the people who are doing online shopping. You can check the url of the site on web about whether the site is legit or not. You can see the list of most familiar sites from where people love to do shopping.
The only way I know that an online shop is legitimate is if enough people comment upon it as well as have good and fair reviews about it. I am always on the fence about ordering from places I have never heard as well as places that are just opening up. I feel that many "new" stores need to get a reputation before it becomes a place where I can order from.
My only rule is to look for sites that take PayPal; that way, if something goes wrong and it turns out to be a scam, I don't get my parcel, get something different, etc., I can just file a dispute and get my money back.
As others have said if you are a bit worried I would only deal with big name companies, but stay away from the sellers.
I have also bought from a seller in Ebay that had zero feedback, because she was just a new seller, but I still bought something from her. The transaction was pleasant, and the shipping was fast, so I also give newbie sellers a try, they accept Paypal anyway, so if something goes wrong then I will just file a dispute.
Check reviews online that other people have written about the shop you're skeptical about. It's best to stick with the big names in the online shopping world until you're comfortable enough to go with the lesser known people. There's always some way to get your money back if a transaction has gone bad, assuming the transaction hasn't went past 90 days.