by
Sarah Testa
Here are 10
simple yet essentials tips, which if followed correctly, should help
make your online
shopping experience a safe and satisfactory one!
As many women would say, shopping for clothes can
be lots of fun!
We’ve all had our doses of retail therapy in the
past… and with the vast selection available online to us
ladies, shopping for clothes on the Internet can be even more fun.
Shopping on the Internet however can be a tricky business, especially
if we do not take our precautions and make sure everything is in order.
One need not fear though! With a little care shopping online can be a
breeze! This article will walk you through ten tips, which if followed
correctly, should help make your online shopping experience a safe and
satisfactory one!
1. Although shopping for clothes online is a fun
experience, it might prove to be a little bit tricky at first because
you cannot actually go into a changing room and try on the items before
buying them! If you find yourself wanting to buy from a new store, one
which you have never bought from before, you might be a little unsure
about the size to choose. Most reputable online fashion store do have
size guidelines which you should definitely consult to help you choose
the right size; however what I suggest doing is the following. When
buying items online from a new store take it easy: buy one item first!
Once the item arrives you would have an idea whether you have made the
right choice, or maybe you need a smaller or larger size. That one item
will give you an idea of the sizing of the particular store, so after
having ‘tested’ the sizing go ahead and buy more!
2. I like to describe the feeling I get of a
website as the same feeling I get when I meet a new person. There is
usually either good chemistry or otherwise. It’s really the
same with website and online stores. What kind of feeling do you get of
a website? Does it look professionally done? Does the design and
navigation make your online shopping experience easier… or
is it terribly difficult to find what you’re looking for? Is
there an ‘About Us’, or a ‘Company
Info’ page? These elements usually give you a general feel
for a website, and give you hints on whether to decide either to trust
the website enough to purchase from it, or move on.
3. Whilst browsing around the website, look out
for signs and logos which may indicate certificates of security and
reliability which the website might hold. Common names to look out for
are VeriSign and BBB.org (Better Business Bureau).
4. Before actually making the purchase take a note
of the websites customer service email and/or telephone number. Making
sure that you have somewhere to refer to queries to should you need to,
before actually making the purchase, will help you put your mind at
ease.
5. Check the store’s privacy policy and
customer service page before making the purchase. It is important that
you are aware of the store’s return policies, delivery
charges and shipping times.
6. Make sure that you use a credit card when
effecting purchases online and not a debit card! This is a vital
practice which you must make use of. Debit cards don't have the same
protection as credit cards when it comes to limiting your liability for
fraudulent use. You can easily dispute a charge made on your credit
card, however it can take a very long time for you to recover funds
taken fraudulently from your debit card.
7. When you arrive at the check-out page, which is
usually the page where you are asked to enter your details and payment
information, check your browser’s address bar and look out
for the extra ‘s’ after the usual
‘http’. For those of you who feel a little bit
lost, your browser’s address bar is usually located towards
the top of the screen and contains the address of the website
you’re currently visiting. Have the website start off with
‘https://…’ means that the website you
are on is secure.
8. Whilst checking out, after making sure
‘https://…’ is present on the address
bar, look down towards the bottom right-hand corner of your browser and
pack sure the padlock icon is present. This is an essential part of
checking whether the website you are on is secure and encrypted! If the
padlock icon is missing, stop the transaction right there and move on!
9. As soon as you complete you online transaction
print out the page which usually shows up as confirmation of the order
you have just placed. Besides being good for your record-keeping, this
print out will contain important elements of your transaction (like
order number and date) which you would possibly need to refer to in the
future. If the page that shows up after your complete your transaction
does not contain such information look out for a confirmation email
which should arrive in your inbox shortly after you have completed the
transaction, as such an email would usually contain the important
information and details. Make sure you print a copy of the email and
save it… do not hit the delete button!
10. Finally, ensure that the Internet browser you
are using is kept up to date; check for and download the most recent
version. If you carry out a lot of Internet browsing it is also a good
idea to clean your computer with free online software that detects
spyware; an efficient program which you can make use of is Spyware
Doctor.
So there you have it! Ten short but essential tips which can help you
make your online shopping experience a pleasant one.
About The Author
 Sarah
Testa is the Founder and Executive Editor
of http://www.pasazz.net,
the plus size clothing directory. A plus size lady herself, Sarah
strives to provide plus size ladies with a place where they can find
the latest plus size fashion and lifestyle tips, news and advice.
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