Shopping online – it’s convenient, faster, easier and there’s a lot more choice… the list goes on.
But shopping online doesn’t come without its downfalls and if you do not shop safely you could be prone to problems, such as identity theft or you could pay for a fraudulent item that never arrives.
At nimbl, we want to ensure that shopping online isn’t scary and is safe for you, so brush up on our how to tips:
Shopping safely
The internet is so vast, with millions of different websites to use and it’s difficult to know which ones are safe. We suggest to always look out for ‘https://’ as it represents that the site is secure (the ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’) and usually there is a padlock symbol that appears next to the site’s address too.
Now a secure site doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea to shop with them.
So what else should you check? Reading reviews is a great way to see what customers have to say about the quality of products/services and customer experience. Systems like Feefo or Trustpilot should appear at the bottom of their website, if available. Alternatively, check their social media channels for customer’s reviews and comments.
It’s important to remember that there will always be some bad reviews, but it doesn’t necessarily define their credibility. It’s impossible to please the world, sometimes things go wrong which leads to some negative feedback, so make sure you judge the reviews appropriately.
Lastly, if an offer seems too good to be true then it usually is – these often appear in unsolicited emails, as popups or advertisements on unreliable websites. Remember to always use merchants that have a good reputation, like high street shops (e.g. Topshop, Nike or Boots) or well-known online merchants (e.g. iTunes or ASOS).
How to buy online?
When buying online, you’ll have to add your chosen product to the basket by clicking ‘Add to basket’ or ‘Buy now’ and usually you will be given two options: ‘Continue shopping’ or ‘Checkout now’.
If you click ‘Continue Shopping’ then you can browse the same site to shop for something else, and if you click ‘Checkout now’ then you’ll be taken to the checkout page where you’ll see what’s in your basket (usually the product image, name, quantity and price appears), and then you’ll be asked to make an account in order to place the order (these steps can vary depending on the merchant!).
Why do I need to make an account?
Merchants need certain information like your name, email address, phone number so that they can contact you if anything goes wrong with your order, and/or to inform you about the progress of your order. Once you’ve made an account, then you’ll have to enter your payment and delivery dates as follows (again, the information asked for can vary!)…
Payments details explained:
Cardholder’s name – this is your name, enter it just as it appears on your card
Card number – this is the long 16-digit number on the front of your card
Expiry date – enter your card’s expiry date as shown on your card, be careful to use the format asked for online
CVV or Card Security Code – this is the last 3 digits on the signature strip on the back of your card
More information on card details can be found on our ‘Card Knowledge’ Blog!
If you want more information on Staying Safe Online, then why not take a look at CYFI‘s guide, which covers everything you need to know about being online, from creating passwords to using social media. Take a look here…
And remember, nimbl are always here to help, so if you get stuck you can chat to us on social media or contact one of our friendly team members.