• Home
• The basics
• Is it safe?
• What you need
• Tips & Tricks

• Contact Us

One of the main concerns people have when shopping online is whether it is safe to do so. These concerns may stem from the fear that the product or service being purchased may never arrive, or that the information given to the site will be used maliciously, or worse, stolen. These are valid concerns, but if you know how to protect yourself and your personal data you should be able to enjoy your online shopping experience without fear that anything nasty will happen.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that there are trusted online merchants which have a long-standing reputation for providing safe and secure service. These online stores should have a section that gives you all of the background information you need concerning their secure payment system, their security systems, and their use of your data. Some of the larger companies also offer insurance for purchases over a certain total, and the majority of online businesses should have a refund and exchange policy in place in case of breakage or failure to deliver.

Another way to protect yourself online is to use a payment service, such as PayPal, which offers a great deal of buyer protection (including insurance). As both buyers and sellers have to register with PayPal and go through stringent verification processes, there is a greater degree of safety in paying through the service rather than simply emailing your card details to an unknown. Furthermore, these payment services never give out your card or bank details to the seller, they simply transfer the money on your behalf, further protecting you from fraud.