Be cautious while making online purchases
THERE is no doubt that when businesses in Fiji and around the world struggled to manage their fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce gained popular demand amidst many consumers.
This could be seen as an effect of consumers staying at home during the lockdown period with more internet time at hand, thus limiting themselves from traditional forms of commerce, leading consumers to opt to purchase goods and services online.
COVID-19 has transitioned the shopping preferences of consumers in terms of moving from physically visiting local stores to online visitations, resulting in many businesses to invest in online platforms to market and sell their products.
However, consumers who are not fully aware how to interact on e-commerce platforms end up facing challenges such as online scams, product safety concerns, or deceptive practices by traders.
Although, through online platforms consumers are able to purchase products 24/7, have a wide range of products and services available, is more convenient and time saving, consumers must be mindful of their rights and responsibilities while making online purchases.
While online shopping maybe tempting, consumers must note the following before making any online purchases:
1. Product quality: When buying online, one will not be able to test the quality of the product (good or service) until receiving it.
2. Time frame – Unlike getting products instantly when shopping physically, buying online is a lengthy process, in terms of receiving items. It may take weeks or months for consumers to receive the packages depending on the location of the vendor.
3. Mechanical failures can get quite more punishing – there is no guarantee that traders will offer repair, redress or refund should an item encounter a mechanical default.
4. Hidden costs and charges – If not disclosed earlier, consumers can end up paying more for services such as delivery or shipping. It is therefore important to find this out beforehand; and finally;
5. Lack of interaction – Consumers may not get the full attention when interacting with sales assistance to purchase products as opposed to shopping physically.
Consumers should take the following measures in order to protect themselves from negligent and dubious traders;
1. Do your research: There are thousands of websites to go shopping on the internet, and many more local sellers on social media platforms. While legitimate sellers are there, it could be a challenge to spot fraudulent ones. However, a bit of research can do the trick. If you are on a website that you have not used before, look them up online and see if they have negative feedback.
2. Returns and counterfeiting: TIP – If you are buying an expensive item, check with the manufacturers website just to make sure you are dealing with an authorized distributor or seller. Additionally, you must ask the following before buying online:
■ How long will the delivery take from its dispatch location?
■ What is the returns policy? (If they do not have one, it could be suspicious. Knowing the policies will help you in times when your item does not arrive or if it is broken).
3. Check for website security: Only enter your card details into secure websites. Look out for the following signs to know you are shopping safely (this only means that the site is secure, not that the seller is honest):
■ Padlock symbol – There should be a padlock in the address bar next to the website address.
■ Website address – This starts with https://. The S stands for secure.
■ Green address bar – On certain browsers and websites the address bar will turn green.
■ Valid certificate – When you click the padlock symbol or the left of the address bar, you should see information on the site certificate which will tell you who has registered the site. Avoid continuing if you get a warning about a certificate.
4. Use anti-virus software: Make sure that your anti-virus software is up to date. These updates help protect devices from scammers and online criminals. Always choose strong passwords with combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters, for example P@ssw0rd.
5. Use secure Wi-Fi: Avoid using public Wi-Fi to shop online, use internet banking or anything that requires you to send personal information. This is because public Wi-Fis are often insecure and your details can be accessed by fraudsters.
Consumers are urged to take these precautions while engaging in e-commerce platforms and be vigilant while making online transactions.
The council remains dedicated to the protection of consumers rights.
Should you come across any issues while in the market or to lodge a complaint against any unscrupulous trader, call us on our National Consumer Helpline toll free number 155 or email us on complaints@consumerfiji.org
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