When it comes to shopping online, it’s natural to be a little wary. After all, you can’t see the product in person or try it on before buying, which can make things feel a bit risky.
That being said, there are so many great online shopping options that also offer incredible deals and clearance sales that you shouldn’t shy away from them! A reputable site will always have high-quality images of its products, detailed descriptions of the item and its materials, and fair shipping costs.
However, not all sites are trustworthy. So how do you know if an online store is legit or not? Read on for some helpful tips that will keep you from falling victim to an illegitimate site.
What Is An Online Store
An online store is a virtual store where you shop from your computer, tablet, or phone. Most online stores allow you to browse their product catalog and place orders online, so you don’t need to leave your house to shop.
Although online stores have been around since the mid-1990s, they didn’t gain in popularity until the early 2000s, when people started spending more time online and less time shopping in person. Since then, online shopping has become increasingly popular, with consumers spending billions of dollars on goods every year.
The Emergence Of Online Stores
Online stores have been around for a long time, but in the past, many consumers were wary of shopping online because they couldn’t touch the products before buying them. And because no one was there to give them a refund, consumers didn’t know what kind of customer service, if any, these stores would offer if something went wrong.
So, even though the Internet made it possible for people to shop from home, many consumers were skeptical about giving it a try. But then, in 1995, a company called Net-A-Porter was launched, offering consumers the opportunity to shop from home using a website. Since then, many other companies have followed suit, bringing online shopping into the mainstream.
Now, there are many different types of online stores, including clothing stores, beauty stores, and electronics stores. More and more businesses are engaging through online stores due to the shift in preference of consumers when it comes to purchasing.
Importance Of Online Stores
Shopping online is convenient, cheap, and easy! Plus, you can easily compare different products and compare prices across different sites. The Internet is a fantastic place to shop, especially if you are looking for a range of products in a variety of categories.
Shopping online has so many advantages over shopping in a store, including convenience and more competitive prices. Online shopping sites offer a wide array of products, including clothing, books, music, and electronics. You can shop for groceries, pet supplies, toys, and gardening items, as well as specialized items such as beauty products, sporting goods, or tools and equipment.
Online shopping has become much more popular over the past decade, with more than 77% of consumers shopping online in 2017. And it’s not just millennials; the majority of online shoppers are people over the age of 35.
How To Tell If An Online Store Is Legit Or Not
Once you’ve found an online store you’re interested in, you can tell if it’s legit or not by paying attention to a few things.
Check Out the Website’s Reputation
One of the first things you should do when you’re considering purchasing something from an online store checks out its reputation. To do this, you’ll want to visit review websites like Trustpilot, Sitejabber, and Reviewopedia, which have user reviews for online stores.
You can also visit forums like Reddit and Quora, where people discuss online shopping experiences and websites. You can also search for the company’s name on Google, as well as on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.
If the company has a presence on these sites, you might be able to find out additional information—like how long it’s been in business, what its hours of operation are, and how many employees it has.
The Site Has A Secure SSL Certificate
If the store you’re considering shopping at doesn’t have a secure SSL certificate, you should be wary. A secure SSL certificate is a way to confirm that your data is safe. No one can access it.
If the store you’re looking at doesn’t have a secure SSL certificate, that means that your data is not safe. Anyone can view it. And that data can include your credit card information and social security number.
Pay With A Trusted Payment Method
As you’re deciding whether or not to purchase an item from an online store, you should also make sure to only buy from websites that accept trusted payment methods.
If the site you’re considering shopping at accepts PayPal, Venmo, or another trusted payment method, it’s probably legit. But if it only accepts cash, money orders, or other untraceable forms of payment, you should be skeptical.
Check Out The Product Reviews
When you’re deciding whether or not to purchase an item from an online store, you should also check out the product reviews. If the product you’re interested in has reviews on the site, read them carefully. Look for reviews that are recent and that give the product a low rating.
You can also check to see if the reviewer has a history of leaving negative reviews. If the product has only positive reviews, that’s a good sign. But if there are lots of negative reviews, you might want to steer clear.
Compare Different Online Stores
You compare different online stores. If you find an item that you love on one site, you should check out similar items on other sites to compare prices. This is the only way to know for sure if the product is legitimate and priced fairly.
If you find the same product for a significantly lower price on another site, likely, the product is not legitimate. If you find the same product for a significantly higher price on another site, the product is likely legitimate.
You should still read the product reviews and read the terms and conditions carefully before purchasing the product, though. You should always compare different online stores before purchasing products. This is the only way to know for sure if the product is legitimate and priced fairly.
If Something Feels Off, Don’t Buy
A great way to tell if an online store is legit or not is to listen to your gut. If you feel like something is off about the site, it probably is. Trust your instincts, and don’t purchase from that site. If you’re still not sure, you can always conduct an Internet search to see if there are any red flags associated with the website.
Chances are, if there are bad reviews, they’ll pop up in your search results. If the site you’re considering shopping at doesn’t check out, you might want to opt for a brick-and-mortar store that you can visit in person.
Conclusion
Online shopping has become a huge part of the e-Commerce industry. And with so many sites offering free shipping, free returns, and gifts, it can seem like a great time to buy online.
However, buying online isn’t always as safe as it seems. There are more than enough scammers on the Internet who will take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers who aren’t careful enough to spot a bad online store.
So before you purchase from an online store, make sure to do some research and make sure the company is legitimate. You can also make use of some of the tips we’ve discussed in this article to help you avoid being scammed by an online store.
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