How to make sure you shop online safely

The internet has radically changed the way we perceive and experience shopping. Online shopping offers users the unparalleled convenience of having things delivered to your door. But with all those stories about credit card fraud, how can consumers be sure that online shopping is safe?

Serious online shopping sites use high-end encryption technology – Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) – to protect the personal information you provide them with. In many cases shopping online is safer than giving your credit card information to a telephone operator.

Online shopping offers several great advantages, like saving time and money on transportation, parking and standing in line. It also offers smart consumerism options – shopping online offers easy, hassle-free price comparison; and since many times the merchandise you buy online is cheaper, even when considering delivery charges and VAT, you get better value for money.

The question is, how can you make sure you shop online safely? Here are some safety tips:

Choose a known website: Whenever possible, choose an online vendor you either know or heard about from a trusted source. There is ample information available online to help you decide whether to do business with a certain online supplier. Make sure you will be able to contact them in case something goes wrong with your order.

Protect your privacy: Take the time to read the website’s privacy policy. Make sure you are comfortable with the kind of information the online retailer is collecting, how they intend to use it and whether the reserve the right to share it. Look for seals of approval from privacy enforcement agencies and/or consumer protection groups.

Make sure the site uses safeguard technologies to protect the information you provide: When giving out personal or credit card information online, look for a padlock icon. That means the site uses encryption technology to protect your privacy.

Keep transaction records: Print or save any records related to your online shopping, so to easily keep track of shipping dates, shipping and handling fees, and other details relating to your transactions.