Source:whcmarket.com

Buying Gifts Online is Easier than Ever

The Internet has made a revolution that has completely taken over our lives. We use it to conduct businesses, to search for any kind of information we need, to pass time, even to shop for all sorts of things. There is not a single thing you cannot find online, everything from clothes and gifts to furniture and tickets for different kinds of event.

Even though millions of people use popular websites for online shopping, there are still some that are distrustful and we cannot blame them. Many dangers are lurking from the World Wide Web and people want to be certain that they will not be deceived. So what do you have to do in order to be sure that you are making a purchase from a legitimate store?

Source:m.theinvestor.co.kr

Obviously, the very first you have to do is to find the item you want to buy. Simply open your search engine, type in the words and hit the button. You will be presented with the list of results that include online stores like Nippangift.com or google ads for businesses nearby, depending on what you are looking for.

Your next step is to investigate different stores. This is important especially if you are looking for an item that is common. Why? Well, different shops have different prices, plus some of them offer discounts and coupons for the first time customers. There is one thing you have to be careful about and that is the cost of shipping. If you find an offer that is too good to be true, it probably is. Retailers usually offer low prices of merchandise, but in return, have high shipping fees. If you skip this step you might end up throwing money down the drain. In addition, another thing you can do is to order multiple items from the same vendor. Most of them will group them into one shipment and some might even offer a free one if you exceed a certain amount of money.

Furthermore, check if a certain seller has a return policy. Valid stores will have a return policy that protects you as a buyer and that is easily understandable i.e. without hidden conditions. Also, the website has to be secure and there is an easy way to check this. If there is a padlock icon next to the address it means that all data is encrypted and you can safely continue the process.

In order to maximize the security of your information, you should also use a credit card. If you use a debit card and the information gets stolen, the thieves will have the access to your bank account, while, on the other hand, a credit card company can easily reverse the card if something bad happens. Moreover, you should never give unnecessary information. Of course, you will be asked to provide them with your credit card number and address, but if the website asks you for your social security number, stop everything and find another online store.

Source:shopify.com

Our last advice is to always make purchases over a secure internet connection which means do it at your home, and not in a local coffee shop or park. If you use an unsecured network, your data will not be encrypted which means that the potential hackers will have easy access, and there is no need to expose yourself to this risk.

All in all, these are some advice you should use when it comes to making an online purchase, especially if you have never bought things online. Check all the security requirements, ensure that everything is as it should be, and start shopping.


Peter is a freelance writer with more than eight years of experience covering topics in politics. He was one of the guys that were here when the foreignpolicyi.org started.