With increasing popularity of online shopping, someone with an idea of a new business nowadays no longer thinks of a physical store initially. This does not mean that retail stores are a flop show now; however, I think busy life, far better technology, and gadgets have changed our shopping preferences. People want more variety, lesser price, quicker delivery, and much more that these websites offer. Unlike my parents, anything I want to buy is just couple of clicks away. Payment options like credit card, debit card, cash on delivery, or net banking has made everything so easy. Electronics, apparels, shoes, or many kinds of accessories are available at a cheaper price than the market. Availability of products round the clock is one of the major reasons for the buyers to check the price of product online first before they buy it from the market.
Talking about the growth of my all-time favorite shopping portal – Flipkart – you won’t believe, according to Wikipedia, it reported sales were INR 40 million in F.Y. 2008-2009, INR 200 million in F.Y. 2009-2010, and INR 750 million for F.Y. 2010-2011, and it projects its sales to reach INR 10 billion by year 2014. It’s all because internet usage in the country has increased over these years and people have accustomed themselves to buy online. On an average, Flipkart sells nearly 20 products per minute and is aiming at generating revenue of INR 50 billion by 2015.
I noticed some excellent sales techniques Flipkart used for selling Micromax Canvas, Moto G and now Moto E mobile phones. It’s crazy to even see how easily the whole stock is sold in just few minutes. Option of buying through a credit on easy EMIs makes it irresistible for you to stop even if your old phone is working absolutely fine, or your wardrobe is just full of old fashioned clothes; you feel the need of lightweight Sketchers for running even if you have good pair of Nike.
Though it keeps you updated with the latest fashion and technology, it is like everlasting addiction to which even I am addicted.
I shop online only from reputed websites like Flipkart, Myntra, Amazon, Snapdeal, etc. But, I really do not know how safe it is.
I seriously do not know if someday I end up losing all the money in my account I use for online shopping. If I do, who should I blame? My OS manufacturer for browser, shopping website, the bank, myself, no one, or all? Thanks to the phishing filter feature in my browser that detects fake websites automatically; otherwise, someday, some xyz hacker may rip off my whole account! Have you ever thought of it? If not, please do the same.
I am writing this article because last month one of my colleagues received a bill of INR 18,500 for buying a mobile phone which he never ordered. Though the inquiry is still on, no one knows how soon the matter would get resolved. Totally unexpected stress is what my friend is going through!! It’s obviously a burden for someone who makes only 25,000 a month and supports his family. The idea is not to scare anybody, but just to spread awareness because anyone can be the next victim. So, here are 10 important tips you should go through before you shop online:
1. Ensure you have effective and updated antivirus/antispyware and firewall running before you go online.
2. Ensure that any shopping portal that you are unfamiliar of is genuine. Do some research about it. Establish a physical address and telephone contact details. Remember that the best way to find a reputable retailer is via recommendation from a trusted source.
3. Remember that paying by credit card offers greater protection than with other methods in terms of fraud, guarantees, and non-delivery.
4. Double-check all details of your purchase before confirming payment.
5. Before entering payment card details on a website, ensure that the link is secure. Three things to notice:
a. There should be a padlock symbol in the browser window frame, which appears when you attempt to log in or register. Be sure that the padlock is not on the page itself...this will probably indicate a fraudulent website.
b. The web address should begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
c. If using the latest version of your browser, the address bar or the name of the site owner will turn green.
6. Some websites will redirect you to a third-party payment service (such as World Pay). Ensure that these sites are secure before you make payment.
7. Check sellers’ privacy and return policy.
8. Always log out of sites into which you have logged in or registered details. Simply closing your browser is not enough to ensure privacy.
9. Keep receipts.
10. Check credit card and bank statements carefully after shopping.
Keeping the aforementioned points in your mind before shopping online would make sure you have a safe online shopping experience! I wish you happy online shopping! Thumbs up!
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| Shopping online |
I noticed some excellent sales techniques Flipkart used for selling Micromax Canvas, Moto G and now Moto E mobile phones. It’s crazy to even see how easily the whole stock is sold in just few minutes. Option of buying through a credit on easy EMIs makes it irresistible for you to stop even if your old phone is working absolutely fine, or your wardrobe is just full of old fashioned clothes; you feel the need of lightweight Sketchers for running even if you have good pair of Nike.
Though it keeps you updated with the latest fashion and technology, it is like everlasting addiction to which even I am addicted.
I shop online only from reputed websites like Flipkart, Myntra, Amazon, Snapdeal, etc. But, I really do not know how safe it is.
I seriously do not know if someday I end up losing all the money in my account I use for online shopping. If I do, who should I blame? My OS manufacturer for browser, shopping website, the bank, myself, no one, or all? Thanks to the phishing filter feature in my browser that detects fake websites automatically; otherwise, someday, some xyz hacker may rip off my whole account! Have you ever thought of it? If not, please do the same.
I am writing this article because last month one of my colleagues received a bill of INR 18,500 for buying a mobile phone which he never ordered. Though the inquiry is still on, no one knows how soon the matter would get resolved. Totally unexpected stress is what my friend is going through!! It’s obviously a burden for someone who makes only 25,000 a month and supports his family. The idea is not to scare anybody, but just to spread awareness because anyone can be the next victim. So, here are 10 important tips you should go through before you shop online:
1. Ensure you have effective and updated antivirus/antispyware and firewall running before you go online.
2. Ensure that any shopping portal that you are unfamiliar of is genuine. Do some research about it. Establish a physical address and telephone contact details. Remember that the best way to find a reputable retailer is via recommendation from a trusted source.
3. Remember that paying by credit card offers greater protection than with other methods in terms of fraud, guarantees, and non-delivery.
4. Double-check all details of your purchase before confirming payment.
5. Before entering payment card details on a website, ensure that the link is secure. Three things to notice:
a. There should be a padlock symbol in the browser window frame, which appears when you attempt to log in or register. Be sure that the padlock is not on the page itself...this will probably indicate a fraudulent website.
b. The web address should begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
c. If using the latest version of your browser, the address bar or the name of the site owner will turn green.
6. Some websites will redirect you to a third-party payment service (such as World Pay). Ensure that these sites are secure before you make payment.
7. Check sellers’ privacy and return policy.
8. Always log out of sites into which you have logged in or registered details. Simply closing your browser is not enough to ensure privacy.
9. Keep receipts.
10. Check credit card and bank statements carefully after shopping.
Keeping the aforementioned points in your mind before shopping online would make sure you have a safe online shopping experience! I wish you happy online shopping! Thumbs up!
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