How To Do Online Christmas Shopping Safely

Post by Sharat on December 3, 2009 · Under Featured Articles, Hints and Tips, Personal Finance, Self Help, credit cards, online security · Comment

This year over 27 million people worldwide will do their Christmas shopping over the internet according to PayPal. That is not that surprising, it’s easy, convenient, and there is no need to deal with crowds or carry heavy bags home. Just a few points and clicks and your done, and after a few days your Christmas presents will be there on your doorstep.

Almost everyone these days seems to do some part Christmas shopping online. Some do it for convenience, and others do it because if you look hard enough, there are some great bargains to be had.

If you do plan on doing some part of your Christmas shopping online, you should strive to stay safe, and knowing the retailers that you buy from are legitimate is critical, otherwise you may end up with nothing, or worse still find that fraudsters have stolen your credit card details.

Here’s how to stay safe online this Christmas.

Is The Site Trustable?

One of the best ways to find the best deal online is to use online comparison tools, like money-au.com.au, except obviously for the types of things you are looking to buy.

Some of these tools however may direct you to the best deal from a retailer you have never heard of. So how do you work out whether the site you are buying from is legit?

The best way is to use a directory like shopsafe.com.au. or other such directories. Directories like Shopsafe gives the site a once over before listing them in their directory, testing prices, delivery and site security.

If the site you want to buy from is not listed does not necessarily mean that it is dodgy, it means that the onus is on you to investigate. You should check whether the site lists an Australian phone number and contact address, and you should perhaps call the number first to check whether someone real actually answers.

Security

If you are looking for signs that a retail website is safe to shop at, the site should display the padlock symbol in your browser and instead of the site beginning with http, it should read https.

You should also make sure your cards are registered either with Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode. If you have not already done so, you will find that it is easy and quick to do and offers an extra layer of security.

If you hold a Visa card or MasterCard you can sign up to either of those two services at your card issuers website or when you shop online with a merchant who participates in the scheme. The service means that when you shop online using your card, you will be required to enter a password first for your payment to be approved.

Just as important as making sure your cards are safe, it is critical to keep your PC safe. You should make sure your PC has anti-virus software. If there are multiple users of your computer, or you use a computer from an internet café, you should log off after every online shopping session. You should also maintain a note of the confirmation number of your order, even better would be to print a copy of the confirmation.

If you are purchasing presents that cost over $100 you should pay by credit card because it means you have extra protection from the Australian government, in the event the retailer goes bust.

Delivery and returns

There are a couple of things you need to make sure of when it comes to the delivery of your Christmas shopping.

The most important obviously is when the items you have ordered with actually be delivered. It won’t go down well with your kids, if on Christmas day you are making vague promises of presents that did not arrive on time.

The other thing you need to know is whether there is any extra charge for delivery, and you should also take the delivery charge into account when comparing the cost of items. Some sites charge fees for delivery, whilst others offer free delivery.

You should also make sure you understand and are comfortable with the refund policy of the merchant you intend to buy your gifts from.

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