With the growth of e-commerce over the last several years, consumers can now purchase practically anything over the Internet, including the latest fashion. Consequently, the Internet has opened up the online shopping experience by providing easy access to a myriad of styles, designs, and companies, as well as hefty discounts over in-store purchases. With the holiday season drawing near, online shopping for clothes will be at its zenith – and to ensure that it is a safe and enjoyable experience, here is a 3-point checklist for online shopping.
1) Secure Online Shopping
Online shopping is a safe experience for the most part – however, there is always the possibility of having your personal and financial information stolen, through hacking or otherwise, like what happened with Sony last year . Always be mindful of what information an online retailer is storing on your behalf and ensure that the site uses SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption whenever sensitive information like credit card numbers or your home address is needed. A site using SSL can be identified via the URL – where you will notice a “https://” instead of a “http://” in the address bar at the top of your browser. You may also see a lock icon beside it or in the status bar at the bottom of your browser. Never give anyone your credit card over e-mail or enter your credit card number on a site you are not comfortable with. Ensure the online retailer has integrated with a trusted merchant to receive payments. PayPal is an example of a trusted merchant that has been around for a long time.
2) Return Policy Check When Shopping Online
A drawback of online shopping is that you cannot see or handle the products before purchasing them. As a result, the quality or fit of the clothes you purchase are not immediately apparent, which creates an aura of uncertainty and risk that you have to accept. To mitigate this, check the return policy of the online retailer. Plenty of times, free return shipping is offered so that you can try products before committing to them, which allows you to order stress-free. At Hucklebury, we offer a 365-day return policy that gives our customers the peace of mind to continue their online shopping without worry.
3) The Right Price for Online Shopping
The Internet has many retailers selling a variety of products. Some companies and websites charge more, while others are less expensive. For instance, a pair of shoes sold on the manufacturer’s website will likely be more expensive than the same pair of shoes sold on a reseller’s website, such as Foot Locker. It is also about ensuring the price is right for the quality of product you’re purchasing. Do not just rely on shopping comparison websites or a Google search. You should be thorough in your research of the retailer you wish to purchase from – look at their social presence, such as their Facebook page to check for customer review and feedback as well as to see how active the retailer is. Go through the retailer’s website carefully to find out about the retailer and whether their motivation is your happy experience. Some retailers even provide excellent service right on their website with chat functionality, so make use of that. In short – be thorough!
Key Takeaway about Online Shopping
- Always make sure checkout is secure using https
- Check the return policy
- Compare the price using smart tools like pricegrabber, redlaser (barcode comparison), google shopper (mobile), google product (local)
The Internet has been a boon for consumers, giving us choices, discounts, and convenience, while making the overall shopping experience a lot quicker and stress free.
