Dangers Of Online Shopping
The Dangers Of Online Shopping
Although there are many who enjoy online shopping, there are
others who have fears about online shopping and do not enjoy
this type of shopping. For these shoppers there too many
concerns which prevent the shopper from feeling completely
comfortable shopping online. Some of these concerns include
identity theft, difficulty making returns and misleading
product descriptions. This article will address these
concerns and offer information about how shoppers can help
to avoid these online shopping dangers and feel more
comfortable about the process of shopping online. Shopper
who are able to put these concerns aside will likely find
they actually enjoy the conveniences offered by online
shopping.
Concerns About Identity Theft
Concerns about identity theft are one of the most common
concerns for those who are considering shopping online.
Identity theft is a very real concern because unscrupulous
individuals who acquire sensitive information about an
online shopper can do a great deal of damage to the
individual’s financial situation and credit score. Although
it is usually possible to correct problems which occurs as a
result of identity theft the process of making these
corrections is usually long and difficult. Additionally,
there are some problems which result from identity theft
which cannot be corrected especially if the identity theft
was undetected for quite some time.
While identity theft is a very valid concern, online
shoppers are not completely vulnerable to identity theft in
most cases. However, the online shopper should know how to
determine whether or not the information they provide online
is secure or not. This is important because while the risk
of identity theft associated with online shopping through a
secure website is relatively small, this risk is
significantly larger when the website is not secure. For
this reason, online shoppers should carefully examine the
web address for any website in which they submit sensitive
information.
Websites which start with https:// as opposed to http://
indicate the information is being submitted through a secure
server. Most reputable online retailers will provide a
secure website for shoppers but some smaller online
retailers may not offer this degree of security. If the
server is not secure the shopper should consider calling
customer service to place the order instead of submitting
the information through the unsecured website.
Dealing With Returns
Another problem which faces many online retailers is the
potential for problems which result from the need to return
items purchased online. In most cases the return process
with online retailers is quite simple and is not more
difficult than returning items to a regular store. In fact
online retailers who have a traditional store often allow
online shoppers to make returns to these locations instead
of shipping the item back to the online retailer. However,
returns are not always this easy. In some cases the shopper
will be financially responsible for the cost of shipping the
item back to the online retailer. This can be costly if the
item is oversized and could require pricy insurance if the
item is expensive. Online shoppers who have concerns about
the return policy for an online retailer should carefully
review these policies and inquire if they have any questions
about the process before making a purchase.
Misleading Product Descriptions
One final concern many potential online shoppers have about
shopping online is encountering misleading product
descriptions. This may include product descriptions which
are intentionally or unintentionally ambiguous. The concern
in this situation is that the shopper will purchase the
wrong item or an item which is not as described by the
online retailer and the buyer will have difficulty returning
the item if necessary. Although this problem may occur there
are simple steps the consumer can take to avoid this
problem. The simplest solution to this problem is to contact
customer service to clarify information about the products
offered for sale online. This enables the consumer to speak
directly to a representative from the online retailer and
verify whether or not the product offered for sale will suit
his needs. Based on this information the consumer can then
decide to either make the purchase or not.
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