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Safe Online Shopping Tips & Consumer Rights |
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The Things You Should Know! |
Shopping online, or using the Internet to buy various products and services, really does have a lot to offer. Choice and range of product is just part of the story, the ability to quickly and easily compare prices is another significant benefit. You don’t need to queue or find parking and those wet cold, rainy nights will no longer bother you. Above all, you can find prices that are often much more competitive than on the High Street.
Virtually all the shops listed on within The 2Click Online Shopping Guide are located within the UK and have been visited and checked by us to make sure they are generally in accordance with the safety details listed below.
Nevertheless it does pay to be cautious. Before you start buying anything at any particular shop there are some questions you should ask yourself: |
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 Do you trust the retailer or service provider? |
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Does the website have a 'secure' server? |
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Are you agreeable with their delivery times? |
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Are there any hidden costs? |
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Can they be contacted easily if anything goes wrong? |
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The majority of reputable online shopping websites will provide a shopping cart - this is your online shopping trolley into which you can place the products you wish to purchase, so you can take them to the checkout where you will pay for them. The checkout must be located on a secure server for your transaction to be secure. |
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SO HOW DO I KNOW I AM ON A SECURE SERVER? |
When you are on a secure server the key or lock in the bottom of your browser will appear locked or highlighted. The address of the web site will also change from http://www... to https://www... signifying that the site is secure. Sometimes this will only take place once you are located within the shopping cart itself.
Occasionally on browsers which allow you to change their appearance the address bar or text may also change colour, or the padlock may look different or appear in a different place, but there should always something appear to indicate you are on a secure site. If you are in doubt, why not contact the company concerned and ask them.
If the website upon which you want to shop does not offer a secure server – you need to be very cautious about entering your credit card details. Don't hesitate to email or telephone the company and ask them a few questions to put your mind at rest!
Some online shopping sites use the Actinic software which doesn't use standard secure servers as mentioned above. Instead they provide a 128-bit encryption system using a Java applet to safely encrypt your credit card information. Some Banks including Barclays Bank, HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland approve Actinic software for their merchants to use. But if you remain unsure, email or call the merchant. |
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WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? |
Some further basic precautions that you should consider when shopping on the Internet include: |
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Always print out your order confirmation. |
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Check the delivery times and prices before deciding to purchase. |
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Check to see if the retailer has an after-sales and refunds policy shown on the site |
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Paying by credit card will give you additional protection. |
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Don't leave the computer unattended in the middle of making a purchase. |
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Make sure you Log out properly after you are finished making a purchase. |
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Make sure you can contact the company if the order goes wrong. |
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YOUR RIGHTS AND THE DISTANCE SELLING REGULATIONS |
Online retailers must: |
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Offer clear information about their goods and services up front |
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Provide written confirmation of purchases |
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Provide a 'cooling off' period where you can cancel your purchase for any reason within seven (7) days of receipt of goods and still get a full refund |
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Offer a full refund if goods don't arrive by the date agreed (or within 30 days if no date was agreed). |
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THE SALE OF GOODS ACT |
Products you purchase must: |
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Be safe and of satisfactory quality |
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Not be damaged or defective (unless this was notified in advance) |
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Be suitable for the purpose it was purchased for |
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Be as described by the seller |
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Last for a reasonable length of time |
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MORE HELP |
Some other useful sites: |
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