They attract customers with very low prices and appease them with promises of safe transactions. Consumers repeatedly fall for unprofessional and questionable websites, and end up with withdrawals from their bank accounts or credit cards instead of the requested goods. It’s not that hard to spot rotten apples if you follow a few rules.
1. Evaluate performance
- How accurate is the language in which texts on the website or emails are written? Do the texts read as if they were translated by a bad translation program?
- Are the links working?
2. Contact the manufacturer
If you have any doubts about the authenticity of a webshop that offers a single well-known brand, check with the brand’s manufacturer or main importer to make sure the website is known and the retailer is authorized.
3. Question reliability
If the offer is too good to be true, it’s usually just that: it’s probably not true. Price comparison sites help you find realistic prices.
If you are offered goods that are not yet available through official channels or are no longer available anywhere, you should also be careful.
4. Read the Terms and Conditions
It is essential to read the general terms and conditions, especially the delay in delivery, the possibility of withdrawal, the warranty and the right to return.
If there are no terms and conditions: definitely raise your hands!
5. Scan the provider
- Can you find a phone number and company address on the website?
- Are there addresses (electronic telephone directories)?
- Are the names of general managers listed?
- Is there an email address or just a contact form?
- Check the online trade register at www.zefix.ch to see if the company has actually been entered.
- Is the company located in Asia or in tax havens like the Virgin Islands?
- Who is the site registered to? You can check this at www.domainwhois.ch/index.cfm for websites with .ch, .li, .at, .eu and .com extensions. The operators of websites ending with .org can be found at www.pir.org and their .net address at www.whois.net.
6. Test the communication option
- Dials the phone number and asks about a offered product. Does anyone buy? Does the seller respond professionally and quickly? Was the information relevant?
- Writes an e-mail to the given address. Did you get an answer?
7. Doubting its authenticity
If the top brands are sold in an unsafe webshop, there is a risk of the products being counterfeit. If you place an order, you will not expose yourself to prosecution, but counterfeit goods may remain at customs. Your money is gone too.
8. See reviews
- Search online forums for the store.
- Take a close look at the reviews on the website. If there are only a few old entries, the webshop itself is a slow seller. And the many negative testimonials speak for themselves. If there are only positive reviews that read very similarly, he’s probably hiding self-promotion.
9. Check the seal of approval
A seal of quality alone, such as Mastercard, Verisign or Trustedshops, is not a guarantee of seriousness. There is a partnership between the issuer of the seal and the store operator only if when you click on it they also redirect to the provider’s website.
10. Check payment methods
- Whenever possible, order based on an invoice from unknown stores. If the online store doesn’t offer it, test the seal of approval first.
- Order against prepayment only if they have had good experiences with the store beforehand.
- Pay by credit card only if the web address starts with https://. “s” stands for secure, encrypted data transfer. A lock icon also appears in the browser’s address line. Only then cannot your data be intercepted and misused.
- Only shop the amount you can afford to lose when necessary.
11. Listen to your instincts
If in doubt, you should avoid any bargaining.