Above 190 Million people in the US alone avail of shopping services. Online shopping practices around the globe are getting popular every passing day. It has become a profitable market for businesses, and they are adapting creative marketing efforts to capture more revenue online.

As compared to traditional marketing, online shopping is extremely convenient and easy. It also allows the consumer to compare the prices and check feedback before buying a particular website.

Drone delivery, same-day delivery, and grocery-fruit-vegetable deliveries have changed the whole game of online shopping. Everything is now available on your doorstep and much more convenient than physical shopping. However, with the rise of online shopping trends, the rip-offs are also increasing. There are a lot of people who hesitate to buy anything online due to the increased number of scams.

Major Concerns with Online Shopping:

From a common man’s perspective, there are many concerns when it comes to online shopping. It is undoubtedly convenient, but there are safety and security concerns. Whether you are placing an order from your phone or mobile, there will always be a doubt about your confidential information.

However, other than identity theft and leaking of information, there are other significant concerns as well, such as Data breaches, important packages getting lost, shipping costs, inconsistencies, online data storage, returns not being accepted, etc.

Solutions:

Well, most of the concerns can be exchanged by exploring a bit about the websites and reviewing their returns and shipping policies. Before checking out, ensure that you are using a secure payment system. Moreover, try to use third-party payment systems to conceal your identity.

1. Credit Card Report:

Regularly check your credit card statement online to ensure that there are no fraudulent charges. Moreover, never enter your card information in front of anyone. Identity theft and hacking are on the rise, and one should know how to take necessary safety measures.

2. Coupons:

If you are using online coupons, it’s better to ask the customer care representative whether the coupon is still valid. Besides, you can also ask if any other current online promotions can benefit you.

3. Customer Service and Representative:

With the advancement in technology, every online shopping site has an online chatting system on their website. When you open a website, a customer service chat box pops out; you can clarify all your queries live and check about the products’ availability.

4. Free-Shipping:

Worried about the high shipping charges? Use the filter and find the dealer offering delivery without the additional charges. Besides, some brands offer free delivery on a particular package amount. Wait for the things to pile, and then place an order—avail the free delivery.

5. Private Browsing:

Don’t want your data to be stored in the form of cookies? You can use the private web browser as well—incognito mode. Not just with your laptop, you can use the same feature with your mobile as well.

Security Tips for Online Shopping:

Out of all the concerns, security is one of the major concerns. It might be extremely worrying if your identity gets stolen. Before you do any online shopping, make sure that your information is not used for any other purposes. Below are some tips to ensure your security.

1. Make sure your information is secure—look for a padlock or broken key icon.
2. Do not order if there is no policy for returns and shipping costs.
3. If you get a lot of pop-up ads, don’t order.
4. Look out for the company’s address and number.
5. If the prices are unrealistic (too high or too low), don’t order.
6. The website should allow you to fill out the subscription form.
7. No genuine website will ask for your social security number.
8. Look out for the dotcoms while ordering.
9. Do not buy luxury products from third-party sellers.

If you are not comfortable with a particular website, do not order impulsively. Ask for reviews and feedback from friends and family. If a website displays a padlock or broken key icon, it is safe to store your credit card information.

Advantages of Online Shopping:

There are risks attached to online shopping, but there are noteworthy benefits of online shopping highlighted by Hutch. pk – an online shopping Portal in Pakistan.

1. Saves time—no need to go to the store.
2. 24/7 hours service—you can shop at any time of the day.
3. Comparing the prices was never this easy.
4. You can read the reviews before buying the product.
5. Get information about the current promotions before using the coupons.
6. Live chat box and customer representative service.
7. Easy to return the product.
8. Buying out-of-season items on promotions.
9. No checkout lines.
10. Less hassle, and no flipping through the racks in the store while going through the clearance sale.

How to Get the Best Deal:

Online shopping is way easier than traditional shopping. You can get your hands on a lot of deals. Besides, there are a lot of ways to ensure that you are getting the best deal online. Let’s learn about how you can get the right deal.

Coupons:

Coupons save a lot of money. There are numerous advantages of having a coupon. You can also search the online coupons using the websites: Coupons.com and RetailMeNot, etc. You can always find out about the promotions and deals using various websites. However, coupons can be annoying sometimes, as they expire or work for only particular products. All in all, coupons save you money by getting your products at promotional prices.

Product Price Comparison:

You can always compare the prices of the product by using websites. Camelcamelcamel is a known website that allows you to compare the prices of the products. For example: if you think of buying a road bike, sign up on the website you will receive an alert when the price drops to your range.

Return Online Purchases:

Returning the online purchased products is not as difficult as it may seem. People just leave the package without even going through the guidelines of the returns, and then they blame the idea of online shopping. However, some websites do not entertain online returns and exchanges.

If you have bought something online and if they have a return policy—avail the service. Email the company that you need to return the product, and they will send you a shipping label. Print the label and attach it to the original label. You can send it back by using a courier service. Also, you will get the tracking number—send the tracking number to the company. Nonetheless, the process is lengthy but saves you money.

Tips for seniors:

The elderly are not much into technology, which is the main reason why they are scammed. If you are not tech-savvy, below are some tips that will keep you safe from fraud and scams.

1. Never transfer money to any strange account. Even if the website asks you to wire money to a specific account, just close it down or call the police.
2. Use a strong password with combinations and letters. Also, please write it down on some paper.
3. Please do not click on any pop-up ads as they contain viruses.
4. Do not make an online transaction from a public place.
5. Always make sure that the website has a padlock or a broken key icon.
6. Do not purchase any medication online.
7. Do not share your confidential information or any other account-related information with anyone.
8. Carefully read all the emails regarding credit cards or loans.
9. Avoid opening any chain emails.

If you are careful with the steps of online shopping, then you can easily enjoy the online shopping experience. Take the precautions and enjoy convenience, low prices, coupons, memberships, etc.