Shop Safely when Bargain Hunting online this Christmas

11-Nov-2009

The idea of hitting the high street on a Saturday before Christmas can strike fear into the heart of even the most ardent shopper.  Elbows, shopping bags and endless queues to negotiate can mean that staying in and shopping from the comfort of your own home sounds much more appealing.   And as online payment facility Paypal has found, that is exactly what 27 million of us plan to do this Christmas.

However, in the same way you wouldn't walk around on the high street with your bag wide open and your wallet showing (we hope), you should take safety precautions online to make sure that the websites that you share your personal details with are trustworthy and secure. 

When online shoppers were asked by Paypal for their shopping priorities, a whopping 62% of people said "Saving money or finding a bargain", with a further 15% citing an 'ability to buy things they can't on the high street".  "Buying from a trusted brand or website" came in at only 14%, showing that bargain-hunting is more important to most of us than shopping with a brand we recognise.

Garreth Griffith, head of risk and security at PayPal remarked, "Shoppers will be able to get some great bargains online this Christmas but there is no need to sacrifice security in the hunt for a great deal. There are some simple steps to safe shopping online and if the deal looks like it is too good to be true then just take a minute or two to check it out."

Paypal recommends checking that the website you are on is showing the padlock symbol in the browser, and that the web address starts with https', both of which demonstrate that a site is secure.  Before entering any personal details or credit card numbers, you should also double-check the site address to make sure you have not been fraudulently rerouted to a clone site or a page that is not secure.  If you use browsers such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, check for the latest updates before beginning your shopping, and make sure that the security settings on your computer are completely up to date.  

When we are not shopping with a trusted household name, a shocking 90% of us would not think to call up the retailer to check that they exist.  However, so many shopping websites are not regulated that you should always verify the credentials of the retailer if you have not used them before.  If you cannot find information elsewhere (which is itself should be a warning sign), use feedback and reviews from other shoppers to find out more about the merchant and its customer service.

It's also recommended that you check the returns policy on any items before you buy them.  You should be able to find this information displayed prominently on the site, but if it is not, always contact the retailer for this information before making a purchase.  Otherwise, if the item turns out to be faulty or needs to be exchanged, you might get a nasty surprise.   

Always use the same level of caution when shopping online that you would use in person.  If a deal looks too good to be true, assume that it is.  If you find a website that you have never visited or heard of before, check it out before buying or be prepared for it to have disappeared by the time you need a refund.  For more information about shopping safely online, visit the Paypal security centre here, or visit the Consumer Direct site for advice on your rights when shopping online.