Shopping on the Internet can be an ideal way to expand your product selection and realize serious savings all at the same time. But, going in blind is not advisable, and it is worthwhile to learn a bit about online shopping ahead of time. Keep reading to gain some extremely useful advice.
Learn more about the payment methods offered by the online store you are interested in. Most stores give you the option to pay with a credit card or with PayPal. A credit card is a safe option only if the store has a secure server. If you do not see any information about safety, it is best to go through a different store.
Never give out your Social Security number to an online merchant. This number is not required for placing orders online. Giving an online store your Social Security number can help them use your personal and private information to steal your identity. To prevent that, if you go on an online store site and see that as a requirement, do not buy anything from them and shop somewhere else.
If you want to buy a used product online, learn more about the seller first. You should visit their profile and look for reviews written by other shoppers who bought products from this seller. Do not hesitate to contact the seller to ask a few questions about the product you are interested in.
Get engaged in the social media of your favorite online stores. Brands with big online presences typically put lots of money behind their social media, and that includes offering their followers some mega-discounts and exclusive deals. You can be one of the lucky ones scoring these deals with just a quick follow or fanning.
Be careful where you submit your credit card information. When you are shopping online, always use secure sites. These are sites that have taken steps to protect your valuable information. A secured website will begin with HTTPS instead of the standard HTTP. There will also be a locked icon, either in your address or status bar, depending on which browser you use.
Always save or print out a copy of any order confirmation you receive when making online purchases. If you do not have a printer, you could always bookmark this page. Should something happen, it will helpful for you to have your order number, product description, your name, and payment information.
Before buying anything, look for coupon codes. There are sites out there (one is Retail Me Not) that catalogs these coupon codes for many big websites. If you cannot locate what you are looking for on one of these sites, do a further Internet search yourself. You might save a bundle!
When making a purchase, check the manufacturer’s website for any coupons or promo codes. Many retailers also offer discounts, so check their deals pages before you buy anything. Even if you just eliminate shipping costs, this can save you much money, especially when purchasing items in bundles.
Make sure that you only provide the bare necessities when shopping online. Usually all that is required is your name, address and credit card number. Occasionally there will be additional areas for you to add personal information and phone numbers. If these areas are not required, do not fill them out. They can sell this information to marketing companies and you will be inundated with spam mail and marketing phone calls.
Plan your online purchases carefully. Do not hesitate to spend a few hours looking through different stores to compare the products offered. Look for reviews on different sites and find a product adapted to your needs and your budget. Do some research on the online stores that offer the product you want before ordering your item.
If you plan to buy on eBay, remember to do your research. First, check out the seller’s feedback and make sure he’s been around for at least a year and that he’s doing a good job as a seller. Check out shipping costs and the details of the item as well – especially if it is used or not.
There are a lot of phishing scams that look just like online stores. These scammers usually operated by sending emails to promote a good deal to customers along with a link to their fake online store. Your credit card information will be stolen once you purchase an item from the fake site. Be careful when following links from emails.
There are shopping forums that you should consider joining if you are serious about saving money. They provide information on great deals all over the web. Message boards are an excellent way to get some detailed reviews, coupon codes and useful information about promotional offers.
In order to be sure you are shopping online safely, it is important that you have the most updated version of your browser. Old, out-of-date browsers leave you more vulnerable to identity theft. Most browsers update themselves, but to be sure you have the most updated version, check your settings.
Whenever possible, shop from your home computer rather than your smartphone. It is easier to get redirected to a scam site on your mobile phone, in part because URL addresses are not as lengthy. In addition, if you shop while you are out and about, you are using a public Wi-Fi connection. This makes it easier for hackers to get access to your credit card information, so you should avoid it if at all possible.
Try to shop securely. The first step is to buy from websites which offer secure connections, meaning their website URL starts with HTTPS. You should also be able to input your credit card information online. Any website which asks you to email it is insecure and should be avoided at all costs.
There is little doubt that online shopping is a wildly popular and wise method of getting great deals on the things you really want. But, there are pitfalls to which the uninitiated can easily fall prey. By reading the piece above, you should have the information you need to become an online shopping pro.
