..for a safe and pleasant transaction
by Sarah Testa
As many women would say, shopping for clothes can be lots of fun!
We’ve all had our doses of retail therapy in the past…
and with the vast selection available online to us ladies, shopping
for clothes on the Internet can be even more fun.
Shopping on the Internet however can be a tricky business, especially
if we do not take our precautions and make sure everything is in
order. One need not fear though! With a little care shopping online
can be a breeze! This article will walk you through ten tips, which
if followed correctly, should help make your online shopping experience
a safe a satisfactory one!
1. Although shopping for clothes online is a fun
experience, it might prove to be a little bit tricky at first because
you cannot actually go into a changing room and try on the items
before buying them! If you find yourself wanting to buy from a new
store, one which you have never bought from before, you might be
a little unsure about the size to choose.
Most reputable online fashion store do have size guidelines which
you should definitely consult to help you choose the right size;
however what I suggest doing is the following. When buying items
online from a new store take it easy: buy one item first! Once the
item arrives you would have an idea whether you have made the right
choice, or maybe you need a smaller or larger size.
That one item will give you an idea of the sizing of the particular
store, so after having ‘tested’ the sizing go ahead
and buy more!
2. I like to describe the feeling I get of a website
as the same feeling I get when I meet a new person. There is usually
either good chemistry or otherwise. It’s really the same with
website and online stores. What kind of feeling do you get of a
website?
Does it look professionally done? Does the design and navigation
make your online shopping experience easier… or is it terribly
difficult to find what you’re looking for? Is there an ‘About
Us’, or a ‘Company Info’ page? These elements
usually give you a general feel for a website, and give you hints
on whether to decide either to trust the website enough to purchase
from it, or move on.
3. Whilst browsing around the website, look out
for signs and logos which may indicate certificates of security
and reliability which the website might hold. Common names to look
out for are VeriSign and BBB.org (Better Business Bureau).
4. Before actually making the purchase take a
note of the websites customer service email and/or telephone number.
Making sure that you have somewhere to refer to queries to should
you need to, before actually making the purchase, will help you
put your mind at ease.
5. Check the store’s privacy policy and
customer service page before making the purchase. It is important
that you are aware of the store’s return policies, delivery
charges and shipping times.
6. Make sure that you use a credit card when effecting
purchases online and not a debit card! This is a vital practice
which you must make use of. Debit cards don't have the same protection
as credit cards when it comes to limiting your liability for fraudulent
use. You can easily dispute a charge made on your credit card, however
it can take a very long time for you to recover funds taken fraudulently
from your debit card.
7. When you arrive at the check-out page, which
is usually the page where you are asked to enter your details and
payment information, check your browser’s address bar and
look out for the extra ‘s’ after the usual ‘http’.
For those of you who feel a little bit lost, your browser’s
address bar is usually located towards the top of the screen and
contains the address of the website you’re currently visiting.
Have the website start off with ‘https://…’ means
that the website you are on is secure.
8. Whilst checking out, after making sure ‘https://…’
is present on the address bar, look down towards the bottom right-hand
corner of your browser and pack sure the padlock icon is present.
This is an essential part of checking whether the website you are
on is secure and encrypted! If the padlock icon is missing, stop
the transaction right there and move on!
9. As soon as you complete you online transaction
print out the page which usually shows up as confirmation of the
order you have just placed. Besides being good for your record-keeping,
this print out will contain important elements of your transaction
(like order number and date) which you would possibly need to refer
to in the future. If the page that shows up after your complete
your transaction does not contain such information look out for
a confirmation email which should arrive in your inbox shortly after
you have completed the transaction, as such an email would usually
contain the important information and details. Make sure you print
a copy of the email and save it… do not hit the delete button!
10. Finally, ensure that the Internet browser
you are using is kept up to date; check for and download the most
recent version. If you carry out a lot of Internet browsing it is
also a good idea to clean your computer with free online software
that detects spyware; an efficient program which you can make use
of is Spyware Doctor.
So there you have it! Ten short but essential tips which can help
you make your online shopping experience a pleasant one.
About the Author
Sarah Testa is the Founder and Executive Editor of www.pasazz.net,
the plus size clothing directory. A plus size lady herself, Sarah
strives to provide plus size ladies with a place where they can
find the latest plus size fashion and lifestyle tips, news and advice.
Visit Sarah at the plus size clothing directory
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