Buying online can be a very daunting and scary task. The world wide web is a virtual world full of shops and stores with products and people we can not physically see. How can we trust them? As an avid buyer of gifts online, let's say I have developed a somewhat 'strategic approach'. My expectations of an online store are to FIND the gift with a good deal of ease and RECEIVE my goods/replacement/refund, whatever the case may be, with the highest level of customer service. Here are my 10 simple ways to help me achieve this.
FIND the ideal gift with ease
1) Use an online store that offers a gift finder service which will help you match gifts to budgets, occasions, gender, personality and interest. This is like having your own 'personal shopper'.
2) Most stores have a very large range of products. Therefore a well-designed user friendly website with ease of navigation is crucial. If you are buying for a male, a shop which is set out into clear categories and sub categories is much easier to use than one where you find a mix of products that are male and female-specific. A site with navigational breadcrumbs makes it very easy to navigate as well as it tells you exactly the path you are following, and you know precisely where you are. I guess it's like a virtual map.
3) Look out for a search facility. This is particularly useful if you know the product or type of product you want to buy. Why not be taken straight to that page? If you have a budget to keep to, look out for stores which sort products according to price.
4) Many stores have a wish list facility. Make the most of this. Ask the recipient to create a wish list for you to buy from. This will save you time and save you the embarrassment of a disappointed recipient!
5) Finding the ideal gift is not just down to the responsibility of the online retailer. If you don't leave things down to the last minute, there is of course a greater chance you'll come across a little gem of a gift.
RECEIVE your goods/replacement/refunds safely and with good customer service
1) Probably the one most single important factor in online shopping is the fact that you will be giving your credit card details. You therefore must ensure that a store's payment pages are 100% secured with the high level of SSL encryption (usually 128-bit). To know this, don't just take the site's word for it and read their policy on security. Look out for the padlock image which should be on your browser when you reach the payment page. In addition, web pages (ie payment pages) which require SSL connection start with https:// rather than the usual http://. If none of these are present do not give away your credit card details. These 2 signs indicate that that the payment is fully secure and your card details are safe.
2) Read independent customer reviews on a store you don't know. Forums and review centres are a great place to start.
3) Only buy from stores which clearly set out their contact details, and delivery and returns policy. Perform a little test on the customer service of a store before you buy. Send them an email to ask them a query. See how long it takes for them to respond. Contact the customer service helpline by telephone and have a chat! This will give you a great indication of their level of service, and of course, if there is an answering machine, see how long it takes for a call back. I use this method a lot for stores that are new to me. It takes 5 mins of your time and can prevent a major disappointment.
4) See if a store is accredited by a governing body for retailers. For example, in the UK, SafeBuy is an example. To become a member of such as body, the online retailer must adhere to a code of practice. They will also mediate complaints between you and the online retailer.
5) Lastly, go with previous good experiences. If you have already experienced excellent service from a store then it makes perfect sense to use them again.
FIND the ideal gift with ease
1) Use an online store that offers a gift finder service which will help you match gifts to budgets, occasions, gender, personality and interest. This is like having your own 'personal shopper'.
2) Most stores have a very large range of products. Therefore a well-designed user friendly website with ease of navigation is crucial. If you are buying for a male, a shop which is set out into clear categories and sub categories is much easier to use than one where you find a mix of products that are male and female-specific. A site with navigational breadcrumbs makes it very easy to navigate as well as it tells you exactly the path you are following, and you know precisely where you are. I guess it's like a virtual map.
3) Look out for a search facility. This is particularly useful if you know the product or type of product you want to buy. Why not be taken straight to that page? If you have a budget to keep to, look out for stores which sort products according to price.
4) Many stores have a wish list facility. Make the most of this. Ask the recipient to create a wish list for you to buy from. This will save you time and save you the embarrassment of a disappointed recipient!
5) Finding the ideal gift is not just down to the responsibility of the online retailer. If you don't leave things down to the last minute, there is of course a greater chance you'll come across a little gem of a gift.
RECEIVE your goods/replacement/refunds safely and with good customer service
1) Probably the one most single important factor in online shopping is the fact that you will be giving your credit card details. You therefore must ensure that a store's payment pages are 100% secured with the high level of SSL encryption (usually 128-bit). To know this, don't just take the site's word for it and read their policy on security. Look out for the padlock image which should be on your browser when you reach the payment page. In addition, web pages (ie payment pages) which require SSL connection start with https:// rather than the usual http://. If none of these are present do not give away your credit card details. These 2 signs indicate that that the payment is fully secure and your card details are safe.
2) Read independent customer reviews on a store you don't know. Forums and review centres are a great place to start.
3) Only buy from stores which clearly set out their contact details, and delivery and returns policy. Perform a little test on the customer service of a store before you buy. Send them an email to ask them a query. See how long it takes for them to respond. Contact the customer service helpline by telephone and have a chat! This will give you a great indication of their level of service, and of course, if there is an answering machine, see how long it takes for a call back. I use this method a lot for stores that are new to me. It takes 5 mins of your time and can prevent a major disappointment.
4) See if a store is accredited by a governing body for retailers. For example, in the UK, SafeBuy is an example. To become a member of such as body, the online retailer must adhere to a code of practice. They will also mediate complaints between you and the online retailer.
5) Lastly, go with previous good experiences. If you have already experienced excellent service from a store then it makes perfect sense to use them again.
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