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How to stay safe when shopping online

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The Internet has revolutionized the way we shop. Why go to a store and wait in line when, with a few taps of our finger, we can have the same item shipped right to our door in a day or two?

Nowadays, Online buying has become a pivotal part of many people’s lives. And not just Canada. Consumers from all over the world flock to the internet to make purchases, more than 45% of consumers who shop online complete their purchase via mobile smartphone, compared to just under 34% who use computers, according to PYMNTS.com’s new Remote Payments study.

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Advantage of Online Shopping :

It is easy to compare prices and reviews: People don’t just go online to shop. They go online to make comparisons between the various places that they can potentially buy from. Going from one physical store to the next can be a tiring process. Jumping from one brand to the next via the internet is easy and painless.
You can search for exactly what you want: Imagine being able to punch in the name of a product or brand into the air while you’re shopping at a physical location. It’s just easier to do that on a computer or smartphone, isn’t it? People look for what they want, find it and buy it. Online shopping makes searching for what you want so much easier.
You can send gifts more easily: Sending gifts to relatives and friends is easy, no matter where they are. All the packaging and shipping with quality products is done for you. Now, there is no need to make distance an excuse for not sending a gift on occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and so forth.
No crowds or queues: When you allow your customers to shop online, you’re providing them with quite the convenience. They are also able to avoid having to look for parking and then making the sometimes-embarrassing “where’s my car?” search once the shopping excursion is done.

Risks and Precautions :

Stolen account credentials: The email account and password associated with your purchase could be compromised. (And if you use those same credentials elsewhere, hackers can gain access to those accounts, too.) It is necessary to have a strong password and your passwords should be different for every account, roughly 16 characters long, and have a random combination of letters, symbols, and punctuation’s .
Counterfeit goods: Huge steps have been taken by online retailers to keep counterfeit products from their sites, but customers should still be mindful of the risk of imitation goods. Wherever possible, use reputable retailers.
Fake online reviews: Five-star ratings can do wonders for online retailers, so it pays to be skeptical of write-ups that lack detail or are too positive. If you are unsure about the validity of a review, try to check the source, and trust your gut feeling.
Stolen or damaged packages: Sometimes the package is successfully delivered only for you to find that it is damaged. Immediately you notice any damage to a product, take photographic evidence and immediately contact the seller for a return. Most credit card companies can help you claim a refund in such cases.

Protect yourself with these tips and tricks when shopping online :

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Change your passwords regularly: If you want to keep your information (and bank account) safe while you’re shopping via the Internet, it’s essential to mix up your account passwords every three to six months. This puts the kibosh on any hackers who have managed to break into your account.
Use a dedicated shopping email address : What does your email account hold? Chances are, it includes plenty of personal information, lists of contacts and archived correspondence that you don’t want hackers to get access to. Avoid these risks by setting up a separate email account to be used only for online shopping.
Pay with a credit card instead of a debit card : If a cyber criminal lifts your debit-card information, he has a direct connection to your bank account. If you don’t monitor your account closely, you risk being wiped out completely. Credit-card customers have up to 60 days to report fraud before they’re on the hook for stolen funds; debit-card customers have as little as two business days.
Do Business with reputable companies: When shopping online, we recommend sticking with companies you already know and trust. That said, new companies are born every day – so before clicking “buy,” confirm that the company takes security seriously.

Conclusion

There’s every reason in the world to shop online. The bargains are there. The selection is mind-boggling. The shopping is secure. Shipping is fast. Shopping online has never been easier or more convenient for consumers.

Happy Online Shopping!