Over the years online shopping has grown in popularity. It’s convenient way has attracted a large audience. It’s simple and straightforward method of ordering through the internet and having the purchase delivered to one’s door step has saved cost, energy and time.
A lot of benefits have been generated from shopping online. One does not have to go through the stress of waiting on a line, or to be attended to. With online shopping, one feels as though one is the only customer.
One sits back comfortably while scanning through potential purchase options. The prices are lower and more affordable than buying from physical stores. Online shopping makes it easier to purchase things according to one’s budget.
Though, granted online shopping has its advantages, it has its share of shortcomings. It has become a medium used to defraud people.
The goods ordered cannot be tasted, neither can its quality and authenticity be checked. The buyer has to rely on the words of the seller and the picture displayed.
It must be pointed out that social media, especially Instagram is a major medium used in the fraud. A lady orders a weave or wig displayed on a page and discovers on the delivery that the weave is counterfeit or a fake. Issues like that also occur when buying clothes or shoes. Most times they get the complete opposite of what they order.
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In some other cases, following the angle of payment before service, the customer pays for a good that is never delivered, and the internet being vast renders it almost impossible for the victim to track down the thief.
There are pages on social media platforms set out to simply rip people off. They use ghost followers and pictures of goods they do not have to lure people into patronizing them, and at the end it all, it turns out to be one big scam.
Online shopping is not bad, but when handled by bad people, it becomes terrible.
In order to avoid being defrauded, there is need for caution when buying anything online. Here are a few tips on what to do when purchasing goods online.
- Check the number of followers and the amount of likes on a post to see if they tally.
- Check the comments for any positive or negative feedback from past customers.
- Purchase from popular websites and social media pages that are well known and trusted.
- Be very cautious when buying things such as weave, clothes, gadgets, and shoes.
- Investigate thoroughly on a site or page before attempting to buy anything from them.
