7 Tips For Online Shopping
Seven Useful Tips For First Time Online Shoppers
As the world struggles with the pandemic, some economies rose above with the help of the internet. The year 2020 was a gamechanger, and it pushed people to stay put, work from home and even buy essentials online. This year 2021, online retail is expected to be bigger than ever.
According to Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra, online shopping in Australia had increased by 82% year on year. He added that in April 2020, almost one million households shopped online for the first time and everyone is buying online more.
As an online store that sells mobility equipment like travel scooters and electric wheelchairs, Mobilize Me wants to share some tips and tricks when shopping online.
Pick Trusted Websites/Shopping Apps
When buying online, always go for websites/apps that are trusted and secured. Keep in mind that search engine results may be tricky as it may lead you to sites that may not be trusted. Always do spelling checks and keep an eye as some of these may have top-level domains. The usual trick is using .net instead of .com so beware of that.
The Lock is the Key
The number one rule in online shopping is never, ever give your personal and your credit card details too quickly. Before you swipe your card online, make sure that the online store has at least an SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed. Sites with SSL encryptions have a URL that begins with HTTPS. Did you know that Google Chrome flags websites that don't have the “s” as not secure? So how do we check for that? Well, the lock is the key. Simply look for the lock icon beside the URL in the status bar.
No Weak Passwords
When you sign up for online shopping, you are always prompted to create an account. These accounts are then password protected. Ensure you choose a strong password. Did you know that some of the most common passwords are “QWERTY”, “12345” and “Password?’ Avoid these easily cracked passwords and use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Lastly, change your password regularly.
Free Shipping is Your Mate
Online shopping can be a bit tricky. Who hasn’t spotted a great deal online, just to find out that the shipping and processing charges are so high, turning your “amazing deal” into an average deal at best? This could be incredibly frustrating if you went through the motions of entering all your details, choosing a strong password only to get hit with a sky-high shipping cost during checkout. A great way to avoid this is to look for online stores that offer free shipping or sites that allow you to calculate the shipping charger PRIOR to the checkout process.
Different Payment Options
Paying by Credit Card can often seem the easiest option. However, not everyone keeps a Credit Card. And many people don’t like to give out their Credit Card information. This is why there are several 3rd party providers, such as PayPal. Further, you can look at paying your product through payment plans, such as offered through AfterPay and Humm.
Read Reviews
Reviews are considered essential as it leads the customer to decision making. Reviews about your products, customer service and policies will either make or break you. According to mention.com, 90% of online shoppers read at least one review before purchasing an item online. Reading customer-generated narratives will hint at the product’s quality; it will also show how the seller handles customer service.
Check The Return Policy
When you check out online deals, you check the fine print, the terms and conditions to know more details about the products and the scope of the services you have purchased. Aside from these, always read the return policy to know what to do just in case you received a defective item.
Who are Mobilize Me?
Mobilize Me is an e-commerce website or online store that sells smaller travel/portable powered mobility equipment such as scooters and electric wheelchairs as well as everyday mobility aids, such as Rollators, Walkers, Manual Wheelchairs and more. From the top of the line automatic folding scooters to budget-friendly everyday aids, Mobilize Me got you covered with free shipping for orders over $400 Australia wide!