Protect Yourself When Shopping Online

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Nov. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- With so many internet scams, and scammers, you must take precautions when shopping online.

There are eight ways you can protect yourself when shopping online:

Know who you are doing business with. Before buying online, browse the site and become comfortable with it. If it is dishonest, you will know right away. There will be red flags. One red flag is, NO CONTACT INFORMATION. You must be able to contact them, in the event of problems. Otherwise, you are left out to dry. A  reputable website will have a contact link displayed in a section where you will not miss it, even if you try. Sites refusing to provide a physical location, and sometimes a telephone number is another sign that they might be scams.

Be very cautious about websites having too many popup windows. These are lures to get you to click on something that looks appealing, but are actually ways to steal your personal information. If you experience this, get away as fast as you can. Windows that appear when you hover over a link are much different. These are added by the web designer, and are there to make the site more user friendly.

Know every detail about your transaction, and about the product you are buying. You must know things like, when the product will be shipped, the entire cost of the product, and if you are confident you are going to get the product.

Always pay for your product by debit or credit card. It is wise to pay by credit card because it offers you more protection. If there is a problem, you have a trail, and can easily have it resolved. By the same token, always keep good records of your online transactions.

Be careful who you buy from. Some online merchants will steal your personal information by tracking you down from your debit or credit card number. Information they can get is, your shopping history, your interests, your likes and dislikes, etc. As a last resort, they could access your financial records. This is how identity theft occurs.

Stay away from shopping websites that send you unsolicited email to buy something. Although some may be honest, many will just want to sell you, and have no intention of offering good service as well. Emails providing you the latest news and information are quite different. This is useful, and something that many people request by subscribing to a site’s newsletter or RSS feed.

If a website has too many broken links, it is likely that the creator is not taking his website or his customers seriously, One or two does not matter, because this happens with the best sites, from time to time. Before buying from an online shopping website, it is recommended that you check it for broken links, which you can do with a free online tool (http://www.brokenlinkcheck.com/). I may take a few minutes, but is well worth it.

Finally,  stay clear of websites that have no privacy policy (http://www.shopglad.com/privacy-policy). All good websites have one. This is their way of offering the best possible service to their customers, and assure them that their purchases are safe.

In summary, know about the website you are browsing before purchasing from them. Contact them if necessary. Who knows? By taking the extra time to do these things, you will not only protect yourself. You may establish a very good, long-term relationship with a reputable online business.

For more information about online shopping, as well as the latest shopping tips, advice and product reviews, visit us at www.shopglad.com .