Online shopping is extremely convenient and efficient, you can shop for the products you need, find the best prices, and have your package shipped directly to your doorstep without leaving your home.
But there are some steps that you need to know before checking out and placing your orders. To mention a few: you need to ensure that the products will arrive on time, that the products you ordered are of good quality, and that the products are under warranty with a reliable after-sales service. You should also make sure you can replace or return the products, or request assistance from customer care in case you face any issues or have inquiries.
How to shop safely online:
- Check store reputation:
If you already know the store, shopping online is very safe, but if you do not know it, ask your friends or relatives and search for it on review sites. Alcoupon is your go to resource for online shopping reviews, it is also voted as the best coupons and promo codes website in the Middle East. Check it out for the latest discount codes and coupons aggregated from hundreds of online stores, such as: Noon promo code, Jumia voucher code, Souq coupon code, H&M promo codes….
- Avoid “too good to be true” prices:
Don’t shop at a store that offers products at very cheap prices, because it can be fake, poor-quality, stolen, or simply a scam. It can also be a store strategy to steal your financial information or claim that the product is not available to sell you another product.
- Avoid stores that require additional information to complete the sale:
When shopping online expect to be asked to enter payment details, shipping address, phone number, and email address, but if the merchant requests additional information, do not purchase from this store. Do not enter your bank account information, social security information, or driver’s license number. Some companies ask questions about your interests, but these should always be optional and it is advisable to be careful about your personal information in general because some stores sell such information to third parties.
- Make sure that your computer is safe and protected from viruses:
If your computer does not have a protection software against viruses and malware, your financial information and passwords are at risk of being stolen.
If you are shopping online while using a Wi-Fi network, you must use a high-encryption password making it harder to hack your information. Avoid any financial transactions when using a public network.
- Make sure the e-commerce site has a secure connection:
Before entering any personal or credit card information on any e-commerce website, check whether the web address on the page begins with “https:” not “http:”. This code tells you that the website is secure and encrypted to protect information.
Apply these simple and easy steps to enjoy a secure shopping experience and avoid fraud, or getting your information stolen. We also advise you to use coupons and promo codes and apply them at check out to get amazing discounts of up to 50%.
