The trend of online shopping has increased in Pakistan. Especially during the first wave of the Coronavirus epidemic after the nationwide lockdown, a large number of people resorted to online shopping.
With the growing number of online shopping users in Pakistan, many websites are emerging but some of them are not meeting the expectations of the buyers and some of them do not even stop fooling them.
A few days ago, a user on social media accused a well-known courier company of sending them old used clothes instead of the original order. When the video went viral, many users who did not have a good online shopping experience or were exposed to fraud were exposed.
Following the social media campaign, the company clarified in a statement that in fact, the order on their website is between the buyer and the seller and the courier company is not responsible for it. So to avoid such unfortunate incidents and online fraud, consumers must keep these seven golden rules in mind.
Learn about the relevant website
To avoid online counterfeiting, experts recommend that you know the relevant website or brand well before ordering. If the online store is well-known, the risk of fraud will be reduced. However, if the website is unknown or new, decide to place an order after investigation.
Being the name of a famous company
Another thing to consider is that the website you are going to order is not using the wrong name of a big brand or its name is not similar to a big brand. Original and duplicate data can be found on the Internet.
Contact number or address
Online stores usually provide your introduction as well as your contact number and email address. Their return policy, privacy policy, and shipping information are also listed in detail. Fraudsters, on the other hand, avoid providing a clear policy or their contact number. Users should read such information carefully on the website and call the given numbers to reassure themselves about the online store.
Read reviews
Before shopping at any online store, it is important to read the comments and opinions of other buyers about the reputation of the store in question. These reviews are usually from people who have had a good or bad experience with the company concerned. Lack of reviews on the website indicates that a company is unreliable. Also, be careful if only positive comments are available about an unknown company.
Refuse to provide personal information
All you need when shopping online is your phone number and home address. If a company asks you for your bank account or other personal information, you should be suspicious.
Trust only tagged images
Often when shopping online, it is possible that the image posted on the website may not have been stolen from another website. That’s why most consumers don’t get what they ordered. To avoid this situation, request tagged photos from the relevant store.
Incredibly cheap deals
If you see an unbelievably low price on a website, be careful because claiming to sell goods at a very low price from the market can also be a fraud. Also, check out competitor websites to take advantage of the actual price and discounts of the goods.