Buyer Beware (Especially Online)
Shopping online has become what would seem to be a national past-time, which has been marvelous for the consumer - it’s never been easier to shop. Not only that, but a more competitive market coupled with low running costs has determined cheap selling prices for items.
Even so, as the shopping market has broadened, so too has the necessity to be cognisant of your consumer protection rights, and what to do if you are in receipt of faulty items or goods that don’t even turn up. Data is available on the internet, such as the consumer protection act 1987.
You also need to be aware of which payment gateway to use to pay for something, as each payment provider has its own terms and conditions. Doing your homework can stop you getting ripped off by internet scams.
Our word of advice is to do your research regarding the seller : do they publish their postal address and phone number? What is the vendor’s terms? Their returns policy? Their privacy policy? All these inquiries need to be addressed prior to considering making a purchase from the vendor.
Another important point to think about: how is payment taken? In 2009, it’s not enough to merely look for an SSL certificate - this doesn’t inform you how they store your data, only how it’s transmitted when you make the order. If in doubt, only purchase from sellers who use third party payment providers such as Google Checkout, PayPal, SagePay, NoChex and WorldPay.Also you can see what reputation the seller has with his payment provider, e.g. check his PayPal account and how many transactions have happened on this individual account.
