The online shopping business has gradually emerged as one of the best sources to make considerable savings while buying products on the net.
Why?
There are 5 simple reasons: convenience, better prices, variety, discreet shopping and fewer traps. But where the internet is concerned, there comes a plethora of traps which many of you will fail to identify.
Here is a quick guide on how to become tech savvy when shopping online.
The way to distinguish a trustworthy site from a scam is simple. Before you even contemplate to share your credit card details, try and locate a small padlock symbol in the address bar or anywhere on the website and see if the website contains ‘https://’ (s signifying secure). These are called SSL security certification, and in today’s Internet focused world, the SSL protocol is typically used when a web browser needs to securely connect to a web server over the inherently insecure Internet. It is used to secure online credit card transactions.
Furthermore, be suspicious of deals that seem unrealistic (Get an Ipad Air for 2.00 SGD), that might mean that items are illegal.
You should also check the social media content of the website. It’s easy to create a website and make it look professional, but it’s another thing to have customers following, liking and sharing their product on Facebook if it’s fake. If the online shopping business you’re looking at has 2 likes on Facebook, it’s probably fake.
Another tip used is simply to look for reviews of the website on Google. If major local or international sites (look for popular worldwide newspapers and magazines) have written articles about the online shopping website, you should feel at ease with the website.
There are various coupons out there that will try and capture your attention. After all, why should you spend 20 SGD when you can spend five dollars instead?
Make a quick search of the most reliable coupon sites and see what popular magazines and newspapers have to say. You might think that popular magazines and newspapers may reflect a general opinion rather than an objective view. But at the end of the day, if the GQ magazine says that it’s a reliable website, chances are you won’t be ripped off or be a victim of a scam. Why? The reputation of worldwide magazines and newspapers are sacred, and they won’t risk linking suspicious websites.
Another quick tip is to see if local bloggers have given a mention or have reviewed these coupon sites. These review would showcase how good (or bad) a coupon site is based on real people’s user experience.
Stephane Marc Thomasse works for iPrice Coupons Singapore which provides coupon codes for online shopping stores such as Zalora and Zuji. These codes help online shoppers get additional discounts on their purchases. iPrice is available in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, India and Philippines. iPrice Coupons scour the net to find the best coupons and list it on their website. iPrice Coupons take coupons seriously and ensure that all coupons are valid.
Also read: Japan top online shopping site Rakuten officially launches in Singapore