Online shopping is generally safe, but caution should be used when sharing personal and credit card information. Improved encryption technology has made it safer, but there is still a risk of poor customer service and unsatisfactory products. Purchasing valuable or fragile items online may require additional insurance.
There are few guarantees when it comes to purchase and security transactions, whether the sale is in a retail store, through a mail order catalog or through an online merchant. Shopping online should be just as safe as shopping by any other method, but the general consensus among experts is that a consumer should always use caution and common sense whenever he or she conducts business involving personal and credit card information.
During the first generation of online merchandising, there were concerns about the security of credit card transactions and the integrity of the merchants tasked with protecting such private information. Consumers during that time may have been asked for credit card numbers, Social Security numbers and other personal information before an online sale could take place. Apparently, this information could be obtained illegally through sophisticated hacking of the website’s servers. Many consumers rightly felt uncomfortable sharing personal financial information with relative strangers in an electronic universe.
With improved encryption technology to handle private information, however, it has become generally safe to shop online once again. Most merchants obtain their necessary credit card processing software through legitimate third-party processing companies, which means that the merchant does not permanently store any sensitive consumer information on their unsecured servers. An online credit card transaction should be as secure as a credit card transaction at a restaurant or gas station.
Customer service can also be a major concern when shopping online, as there is no human-to-human transaction taking place. Many online merchants have found that they can be held accountable for poor customer service through negative feedback, so it’s in their best interest to deliver the product or service in a timely manner, as well as provide options for dissatisfied online customers. There are some unscrupulous online merchants who either fail to deliver the advertised product or have never had the product to begin with, so there is always a risk that something could go wrong between order entry and delivery.
While it may be safe to shop online from a financial security standpoint, complete satisfaction with the product or service itself may be another question. Online purchases cannot be manually examined for defects or inspected for damage or suitability. Buying standard merchandise like CDs or DVDs online can be perfectly safe, but buying customized items like clothing could be risky. One manufacturer’s size 8 clothing may be another manufacturer’s size 9, for example. The materials used for discounted items sold online may not be of high quality, or may be counterfeit.
It’s also important to remember that nearly all online purchases ultimately go through the mail system. Purchasing valuable antiques through an online auction or ordering gourmet chocolates through a candy website can be a risky proposition. Purchasing additional insurance on fragile or rare goods purchased online may be a good idea. Please ensure all shipping information is completely correct when ordering and keep a personal record of the proposed shipping date and the name of the mail delivery service handling the goods.
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