Online shopping has been a way of life for many people; it’s as easy as breathing and as addicting as Netflix. The ability to shop while in the luxury of your own bed is a dream come true for many.
Even if this method of shopping is a preferred way of purchasing goods for some, others have had to witness the bad parts of shopping via internet.
The range of things which could go wrong are endless. It can be as small as getting the wrong size or as large as dealing with credit card fraud. Regardless, it’s safe to take precautions when shopping online.
One thing to be aware of when ordering an item is that purchased things have the possibility of not arriving at all. This is only the beginning of many unfortunate possibilities which people who shop online must deal with.
In most cases, items are packaged in a warehouse, making it an easy an open target for people to snag items that are meant to be shipped out. There’s even the case of having your package arrive, but with other people’s orders inside . That may be a bonus for you, but is a loss for the person on the other end of the receiving line.
“I wanted to buy a black skirt from H&M, and I did. But when it arrived, it came with another person’s jacket that I didn’t order,” junior Hemen Besufekad said. “I tried returning the jacket back to the online store, but I was charged from my own card for their mistake.”
To add to the list, making online purchases could lead to credit card fraud, meaning your card could be used by another person who has hacked your account.
“Dealing with credit card fraud is when company websites sell your credit card information to third parties. It could possibly mess up your credit score,” junior Ephrata Yohannes said.
Although it may not be as frequent as other negatives when online shopping, it can still happen, and the consequence from it could result in getting the legal authority involved.
Some are under the impression that shopping online could be cheaper than going in the store and that is possible. But, online stores are known for trying to trick customers into buying items which may appear to be at a fair price, but when you’re on the final checkout page, you are hit with a $10 shipping fee added to your total cost.
$10 may not seem like a lot, but when you’re shopping online to try and save money, it doesn’t seem like a whole lot is saved.
Lastly, it’s very easy to be ripped off online. What you buy online could actually be at a better price in the store itself. This is definitely a frequent occurrence.People turn to this way of buying because of the easy access it provides and lets people stay at home rather than deal with stuffy stores. But, knowing what you’re getting into before jumping into it, could provide you protection online, and money saved if you take the necessary precautions when online shopping.