In today’s competitive world, one thing that has become scarce in our lives is ‘TIME’. Time has become the most important asset for the working and non-working segment of our society. In this age of growing popularity of shopping malls due to time and resource constraints, it sometimes becomes difficult to get out physically. Shopping is unavoidable for everyone whether we like it or not as purchases are made from basic goods to luxury items. Hence the new concept that allows us to make purchases at the click of a button is ‘Online Shopping’.

Online purchases can be defined as: the process of viewing, buying/selling and ordering of goods or services carried out through electronic means, for example, a website, it is also known the mode of payment through electronic means with credit card or an established credit account. like shopping online. Some of the examples of online shopping portal are ebay.com, amazon.com, indiatimes.com, buy.com etc. The reason for the growing popularity of online shopping is that it saves time and is easy to use.

People’s shopping habits vary from each other, even in online shopping. For example, some like to comparison shop online, some like to bargain shop, some like to search for the best deals from online vendors before making any purchases, some like to buy when offered a discount. or extra refund etc. . Therefore, in online shopping, we observe different types of buyer behavior and buying philosophy.

The online purchase is made virtually through the web, so there is no direct contact with the seller or seller, in addition the billing procedure is also by indirect means. Therefore, certain things must be kept in mind before any purchase, certain precautions must also be taken.

PAYMENT METHODS

a) Debit card

b) Various types of electronic money

c) Cash on delivery (COD)

d) Check

e) Bank transfer/delivery against payment

f) money order

g) Online payment by credit card.

There are many options available to make payments online, but the best and safest form of payment is through credit cards (in other words, it is also known as plastic money). The degree of protection is maximum through payment by credit card. Although other means of payment have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, paying by credit card is still the best option available. Said payment allows us to keep our money in the bank account, accruing interest until the payment of the purchases made is due. There are many online shopping websites that provide the ability to order over the phone by providing your credit card number. But in such cases, you should have a note of the phone number, the company, the date and time of the call, the information that was requested and provided to the company, and the name of the person who took the credit card number. credit in the name of the company. . To guarantee that the payment made online is safe or not, certain points must be taken care of:

. Look for an intact key or closed padlock or other security options in the browser window.

. The web address requesting your credit card information must begin with “https:” and not “http”.

. Not all websites have SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or a pop-up box indicating that we are entering a secure area, but some websites contain it as a security indicator.

Basic tips for shopping online:-

1) The online shopping site should have a privacy policy, you would have a link to it

or to its terms and conditions or legal terms. Your privacy policy should state what information the site collects about you and how they will use that information.

2) It is recommended that the buyer has knowledge of the website. before doing

any purchase, a little research should be done on the shopping portal. The site must contain your physical address apart from the PO box. Also look for seals from consumer protection organizations like TRUSTe.

3) Keep an eye out for online discounts and coupons before making the final purchase.

Usually, the coupon code is entered on the order form to get the discount. Website newsletters keep us informed about ongoing or upcoming discounts.

4) Before buying any product or service online, compare the price and facilities

provided with other authentic online shopping portals. Many times we can find large price variations for the same product/service.

5) Always check the shipping costs and the procedure. The full purchase price

shipping costs included should not exceed the price we would pay for the same in a retail store. There are also certain sites that do not require shipping costs for a certain amount of purchase made.

6) Do not give out your private information online, such as your social security number. They

must contain a privacy policy that ensures that any information we provide online will be kept confidential. Avoid providing unnecessary information through optional fields on the order form.

7) There may be chances that sometimes we need to return the product or want to

the refund, so check the website’s policy for returns and refunds. Different aspects should be studied in advance, such as whether to change the product if necessary, whether we can receive a full refund, etc. In case it does not appear on the web, call or email the seller and ask.

8) Always keep a record of your online transaction. At the end of each transaction

the payment details are provided on the screen, if possible keep a hard copy of that payment with you. Some online shopping websites provide a link to the web page that shows the delivery status. Payment confirmation is also sent via email.

9) One of the most important factors in online shopping is the shipping details and their policies. Ensure the time limit in which the merchandise will be delivered. If no time limit is set online, the product must be delivered within 30 days or provide “Notice of Choice”. Also make sure they have listed any geographic locations for shipping or if their charges are reasonable.

DO NOT BUY ONLINE YES

. The offer seemed too good to be believed.

. The site that requires personal information before stating the offer it would provide.

. Proposal to grant a loan on the condition that you have to send a certain amount of money to take advantage of that loan.

. Offer a valuable gift deal even on a low-cost purchase.

. The online shopping website that offers investment proposals.

Although online shopping has emerged as a time-saving means and resource-saving option for shopping, it has become essential to verify the authenticity of the website before giving any money. It is the newfound modern culture and it is becoming more and more popular when everyone has a busy schedule. Therefore, the proverb “Look before you jump” is appropriate for online shopping.