Ecommerce tips you shouldn’t listen to

Online shopping has made the lives of millions around the world much more convenient and let’s face it – enjoyable! There are many tips out there helping you to shop better online, but truth be told you really shouldn’t listen to everything you hear.

Some ecommerce tips are false and will harm your online shopping experience. Here is a short list of ecommerce tips you shouldn’t listen to, and why:

False tip #1: Rely on social media for reviews

Social media is generally used to connect with either friends and followers, or mentors and celebrities. Most customers are not inclined to reach out to companies other than to complain. So positive company reviews on social media may be attempts by fraudulent sellers to entice consumers, especially as many social media platforms have poor protection from fake personas and profiles.

In comparison, vetted and true ecommerce sites use fraud detection and flagging systems to root out sponsored reviews. However, as fake reviews may still slip through the cracks, it is wise to read customer reviews in the aggregate. Using a comparison tool such as Comparaboo can help you make up your mind about a product as it incorporates users reviews in an unbiased way.

A perceptive online shopper should try to always stay safe and informed. Shoppers must understand security risks so that they know which ones are under their control, and which have tried solutions. Trustworthy websites are key – whether for purchasing retail, installing software, or examining customer reviews.

False tip #2: Trust everyone’s website recommendations

Few customers have the expertise to judge a website’s security. Unknown sites may use botnet hacks to commit ID theft and fraud by enabling your computer to be controlled remotely by someone else.

A common scam from unknown sellers is triangulation, where you receive the item, but the seller saves your account information from the sale. You pay the seller for the item, and the seller buys that item afterward using fraudulent account information from someone else they scammed as well. Examine each website yourself to be sure they’re trustworthy. Resort to well-known places, such as Google, Amazon, and Walmart, to choose sellers.

Further, be wary of anti-virus pop-ups, as this is a common way botnets are installed. Not only should you find ecommerce items from trusted sites, but find software from trusted sites as well. Most browsers also let you install anti-virus extensions such as Ghostery.

False tip #3: Compare prices from multiple sellers

Many price differences are immaterial, such as 25¢ on a ten dollar purchase. Much of the cost is the time spent comparing prices and judging security. Use websites that you trust; don’t take the bait of a lower price from a site you don’t know. The adage the more the merrier does not always work in this case.

Trusted sites such as Amazon have their own return policy as a consumer safety net from untrustworthy sellers. It is also common for e-commerce sites such as Ali-express to have a seller rating system. Ebay recently changed the way they rate sellers so that sellers with better rankings will appear higher in the search results.

It’s important to always do your research and protect yourself when you’re shopping online. Using the Better Business Bureau can help you determine if the business is legitimate and to ease your concerns. Remember though, if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

False tip #4: Your browser is airtight

As much as we trust our browsers, like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox, there is no such thing as a completely secure internet browser. It’s important that you take the necessary precautions when entering personal information online when shopping and in your email.

Always mark phishing emails that ask for account information and passwords, as spam (if it is not already done for you), and be sure to create h2 and different passwords for each site that you visit. Using the same password for all your login accounts may be convenient, but if one is compromised, then your online security can be wiped out in an instant. Extensions like LastPass will save and auto fill login information, and can also be used to generate h2 passwords for you.

Be alert and use your judgment!