E-commerce Guide: How to SAFELY Add to Cart

     Online shopping nowadays is a popular way of purchasing almost everything. Simple things like cute keychains, clothes, gadgets, home appliance, or even a 10 pesos snacks (that we are too lazy to go out and buy in a mini store 2 streets away) can be bought through online shopping. It can also benefit us when we encounter some discounts and sales that lets us spend less than actually going out and buy it at an actual store. With just a few clicks in our phones, in a comfort of our homes, we can purchase anything through e-commerce. However, purchasing online can lead to many security risks. Risks like fraud, scams, and hidden fees are very common when purchasing online. Being aware of these things as a consumer is important to keep oneself safe in online shopping. Some considerations to mitigate and avoid these risks is—do not disclose personal information easily, always be skeptical, and always do your research. 

     When shopping online, it is given that we reveal some of our personal information like full name, home address, phone number, bank account information, etc., to the seller in order for them to deliver your parcel. But there are a lot of chance that some sellers we encounter are actually fraudsters who would misuse our data and personal information. If we gave our information without knowing that they are not genuine sellers, they can steal our identity and hack our bank accounts. It is important to think and analyze first before sharing. It is ok to be skeptical when it comes to doing things online, including shopping because you are risking your real money. Skepticism can lead to being careful and cautious of what we see online and think before "adding to cart". There are a lot of items online that is originally expensive but is now cheap that makes consumers want to buy it instantly. It seems too good to be true right? While it might be sometimes "true", it would not hurt to look into it first before hastily buying it without a thought. There is a chance that the product that will arrive to you is not like the ones you see in the pictures, or it might be with a defect. For me, I prefer to buy items that is being displayed by the seller through lives on TikTok. Always do your research before deciding. Evaluate the background of the seller. Always deeply assess the review, rating, and feedback section to see if the product they sell is legit or not, or it is up to your standard. Also check if they have a lot of sold items, a high number of sold items of a certain product can be a good indicator of a quality product. Additionally, do not overlook the deals and vouchers that they offer. They might be some hidden fees that you might regret your decision. Lastly, check if their mode of payment if they have a cash-on-delivery (COD) option. I personally prefer paying upon delivery because I think it is more secure. It can avoid paying a product that will not be delivered, and you can also see the product first before paying anything. 

     E-commerce offers us a highly convenient way of meeting our needs with just a click. While it made us easily buy anything without travelling, it also offers dangerous risks that will affect our lives. To avoid these, we must not disclose personal information easily, always be skeptical, and always evaluate before clicking. Always scrutinize everything before spending money online and stay vigilant.