Positive Online Shopping
Making the most of online shopping is mostly a matter of common sense and taking your time.
As in real life, shop around and take advantage of sales
Deal only with known, trusted sites: Even dealing with reputable companies is not a guarantee of security. Like you and me, those companies are under threat from hackers and online criminals, but they are likely to have strong security in place
If you do intend to deal with a retailer you're not familiar with, make certain they are legitimate and have a good reputation. Check their contact details i.e. phone number, physical address etc and search for positive independent customer reviews from a variety of sources
*See www.mywot.com to check the reputation of online traders; add the site's address in the "Check a website's reputation" box at top right
When registering at an online retailer's site, make sure you thoroughly understand everything you're electronically 'signing'
Check the Privacy Policy in case the retailer intends to share your information with partners
If you're buying a product you're not familiar with, check for independent customer reviews - the more reviews the better! Photos provide little indication of the suitability of the product. If the product is a significant purchase and is also available in a Finnish store, check it out 'in real life' at the store and then buy it online
Make sure the retailer you deal with employs SSL encryption for credit card transactions
Use strong passwords, and usernames if possible, for example with upper and lower case letters, symbols and numbers
Check the retailer's Return Policy, and check other customers' experiences with returning products