Tech-Talk with David Rutledge

By Dave Rutledge

E-commerce, or the conducting of business over a computer, is not a new way of doing business. However people are still reluctant to shop online, either from safety and privacy concerns, or just intimidation of a new thing. E-commerce is still taking off, and opening the World to markets once unknown to the average citizen.

You get the benefit of unlimited hours of store operation, allowing you to decide on items whenever you choose. The delivery of most goods is either to your front door, or nearest post office, and delivered in a timely manner. Thousands of online stores offer a wide variety of brand names when looking for specific or wider brand selection. The stores also have the benefit of lower overhead to run the online shop, and can lower their prices on the website.

To truly have a good shopping experience, you must rely on your judgement of the site, and business as a whole. Ask yourself questions as soon as opening the website; is this site from a country with similar laws to international trade? Is the site operated by a registered business? Has this site been recommended by someone you know that has already had positive orders?

Signs that point to sites to beware are quick and easy to look for before ordering from any site online. This can include a large amount of complaints from the Better Business Bureau, or the Better Business Bureau online program. A large amount of advertisements on the online store, this can point to the site making money off of advertising, and few true store owners want to send you away from the store. Aggressive popup windows are the same as advertising, and often show unethical business ethics.

Payment safety is now often offered in the form of multiple options like credit card, cheque, money order, or payment providers like Paypal. Payment providers like Paypal are popular because they have multiple ways of paying like E-cheque, money order, or they can bill your credit card without the store knowing your credit card number.

When buying you often have the option to continue shopping and putting your items in your online cart. Once you have finished you can go through the checkout process, which often confirms your order, payment and shipping method, and shipping address. When checking another question you look for is the shipping, is it realistic for the items you have ordered? Some disreputable sellers make up the difference in their low website prices by overcharging on shipping. It is realistic for the store to bill you for shipping and cost of packaging, but nothing more.

Once you have received your items, inspect them soon, even if you don’t intend to use them right away. If something is wrong with your order, contact the website staff that you purchased it from and notify them, you should have personal contact information such as a phone number or email by now. Once you have explained what is wrong with the order, make sure to obtain permission to return the goods, and some businesses will give you a return number. If you are given any kind of return number display it on the box when sending back the goods.

With use of good judgement, and a willingness to try new shopping methods, you can have most of your shopping done at home in today’s market. If you have done your research, you will find that a trust worthy website can be a safe, and pleasant, shopping experience.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us