Shop Till Your Internet Browser Drops

Thu, 19 May 11

“I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet.”

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City.

Are you a ruthless online bargain hunter, ready to whip out your credit card details to snag a must have product that was pre-released in Japan seven seconds ago? Or perhaps the smiling assistants at your local boutique know you by name, phone number and most importantly, shoe size?

Whether you prefer to order your takeaway dinner on your iPad or would rather buy your Pad Thai in person, there is no doubt that online shopping is the way of the future. Let’s face it; prior to online stores, the luxury of doing business in a dressing gown was strictly reserved for Hugh Hefner.

Although the convenience of online shopping is appealing to more and more consumers, there are a few important tips to remember:

1. Double check sizes or quantities before you finalise your order.
2. Only buy from trusted businesses with a listed address and phone number.
3. Check on the return policy by reading the terms and conditions.
4. Don’t forget to check the currency conversion when buying from overseas sites.
5. Make sure that you are willing to pay the postage price.
6. Read and understand the product description before you buy.
7. Make sure payments are secure, look at the address bar for "https://”, or read the security policy and look for a high strength Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
8. Don't store your credit card details online, including major payment gateways (paypal), instead re-enter when making a purchase.