How to Stay Safe When Online Shopping
Online shopping offers us a convenient, affordable means of obtaining the goods we want. But, as popular as this practice now is, online shopping does confer a degree of risk. If you aren’t sensible and you fail to take adequate precautions, then this risk can be considerable.
So, exactly what principles might you abide by in order to get the best from your online shop? Let’s take a look at a few of the more effective ones.

Stick to Trusted Websites
If you buy things from unfamiliar websites, then you might be in danger of being conned. You might consider the overall look of the site. Does it appear professional? However, you have to be careful as modern scammers can create very convincing websites – or even spoof existing reputable ones. Make sure that the site you’re using really is the genuine article. When assessing a new and unfamiliar site, you might also look at online reviews, which indicate that a given website is trustworthy.
Check for Website Security
When you’re transmitting sensitive information, like payment details, it’s critical that you use a secure connection. The HTTP protocol, on which the modern internet is based, handles this via something called ‘HTTPS’. You can tell whether a site has been secured in this way by looking for a padlock symbol in your browser’s web address bar. This signifies that the connection is secure.
You should also look for contact information and terms and conditions. If a website lacks these things, it’s a sign that you might run into trouble if you encounter problems with your purchase.
Use strong passwords
All of your accounts with online retailers should be protected by strong passwords. What’s more, these passwords should all be different from one another. That way, if one of your passwords is compromised, the damage will be limited to a single site.
The best way to oversee and control your passwords is with a digital password manager. These will not only store and enter your passwords, but also help you to create them.
Be Careful with Deals and Emails
One of the great things about shopping online is the sheer volume of discount codes and vouchers you might find. But it’s worth exercising a little bit of caution when you’re offered discounts at random. In many cases, the seemingly innocuous email you’ve received is a scam, designed to get you to click on a malicious link and surrender your personal information.
Be sure to check any offer carefully. Make sure that the email has come from the site in question and that you’ve interacted with them before. If a deal appears too good to be true, it’s usually a sign that it is.