Websites, auction sites and the latest, blogshops, which are marketed through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, are changing the face of retail. Here are some considerations when shopping at virtual stores.
Georgette Tan, a journalist based in Sarawak, shops extensively from blogshops. She mainly looks for clothes as she finds the options limited in the shops in Kuching. “I'm a plus size gal and it's difficult to find anything that fits in the outlets here,” she says.
The blogshops are mainly located in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, and the items are sent either via PosExpress or PosLaju. To date, Tan's experience has been largely positive. “I've yet to encounter one [a blogshop] that didn't ship the goods.”
There are many others like Tan who do their shopping online at websites, auction sites and blogshops, with the last reaching out to their target consumers via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Since its inception in 1998, Malaysia's pioneer auction site Lelong.com.my has seen an increase in consumers. Its director Wei Kwok Seing says the rise was particularly apparent following the introduction of broadband services in the country. Among the more popular items traded are costume jewellery, accessories for ladies, mobile phones, computers and notebooks and related parts.
A reason for the popularity of online retail is the convenience — you sit at your computer and with a few clicks of the mouse, you've completed your purchase. Then there's the promise of scoring great deals. Public service website and e-mail newsletter Scambusters.org says Internet auction houses make it easy for people to find great deals on hard-to-find items from around the world.
“The excitement also makes them prime hunting grounds for scam artists who are ready to play on the desire many auction bidders have for that ‘unbelievable deal',” says the site. It adds that auction fraud accounts for roughly 48% of online fraud reports to the US Federal Trade Commission.
Some of the scams include misrepresentation, failure to ship the items, and piracy and counterfeiting. So, short of simply staying away from auction sites or never shopping online, what can you do to protect yourself? The most important thing, say online shoppers and consumer advocates, is to learn the ropes. Here are some of the things you should consider.
Paying with credit cards
Opt for the credit card rather than cheque, money order or bank transfers. Sacmbusters.org says if you use your credit card to make a purchase and you encounter a problem — and the seller won't attend to the problem — you can notify the bank that issues your credit card that you are disputing the charge, and you don't have to pay the amount while your dispute is being investigated. And, if the company doesn't deliver the item or it is a scam, you're in a much better position to get your money back.
Lim Eng Seong, HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd's general manager of personal financial services, says while online credit card transactions today can be considered relatively safe, consumers should be mindful of ways to keep their credit card details intact while making the transactions. “The five golden rules are: Ensure the security patches are up to date, install reputable anti-virus software with the latest updates, use personal firewalls, read the [respective bank's] password advice, and use an anti-spyware program,” he says.
Other payment options
For Tan and many other blogshop customers, bank transfer is the conventional method of payment as many of the virtual stores are usually home-based businesses and may not have the volume of business that would make payment via credit card viable. While it doesn't mean that you should stay away from such retailers, it does mean that you need to do more homework and check out the seller before deciding on a purchase.
Apart from credit cards and bank transfers, you can also consider services like PayPal. By having a PayPal account (sign-up is free, and you provide your credit card details) for instance, you can make online purchases without exposing your credit card number to merchants (for details, visit www.paypal.com/my).
Or you can also consider an escrow service. Basically, escrow works as a neutral third party in your transaction. Lelong.com.my, for instance, offers an escrow service called Safetrade (fees for this service are as low as RM2) for both buyers and sellers.
Once the buyer initiates Safetrade, the seller is informed and has three days to agree to the transaction. Once the two parties have agreed to the transaction, the buyer makes the payment to the third party (in this case, the operator of Lelong.com.my). Once the payment is received, the seller is then instructed to ship the item, and once the buyer receives the goods, the payment is released to the seller's Safetrade account (for details see www.lelong.com.my/safetrade).
Find out about the seller
Whether you're shopping online or in a traditional store, buying from a reputable merchant ensures that the goods are kosher and you receive the level of service desired (such as returns, exchanges or warranties). Most websites and blogshops will have details about the merchant (usually under “About us” or “About me”), so take the time to check out the merchant's profile. Auction sites like Lelong.com.my also provide the seller's profile and history, says Wei.
Scambusters.org suggests that consumers check the feedback on the seller. While it's a good idea to buy from a seller who has many positive reviews, do use good sense when checking the ratings. After all, a few negatives do not mean that a seller is out to defraud you. Trust your instincts, says Lim.
“Search for previous and current orders, check for a valid contact number and chat with the seller. See if it has a retail presence. Talk to friends and see if they've bought from the seller. Check reviews of the seller on other sites.”
Read the description properly
Whether you're buying from an auction site or a blogshop, read the descriptions of the items carefully. Scambusters.org says if there is anything in an item description that doesn't make sense to you, or that just makes you wonder, don't brush it off. “That's almost always a valid warning sign. Ask the seller. And don't buy unless you're sure of the answer.”
Even if you've read the descriptions carefully, there are occasions when they may not be accurate. Tan recalls buying a dress from a blogshop, which described the armholes as being of a certain size but turned out to be at least 12cm smaller. “I wrote in to complain. The shop owner offered to give me a refund if I sent it back but I ended up trading it with a friend, so it was not such a big deal.” Tan adds that such incidences do occur when you shop online as you don't get to try on the clothes.
If you're unsure, ask
Another frequent “blogshopper” is Sally, who says consumers should ask many questions to clarify their doubts. She points out that when buying clothes on blogshops, it's important to find out the exact measurements. “Most, if not all, of these blogshops offer measurements of ‘maximum inches' and that's simply not accurate enough. Even though a top can be stretched to 40 inches, it does not mean a person with a 38-inch waist would fit comfortably in it.”
She recounts: “I bought two dresses of the same style in two different colours. The items were in good condition but my dissatisfaction was with the sizing. Both dresses were too small for me. In fact, I asked a friend of mine, who was two sizes smaller, to try them on and she felt that they were a bit snug. Not only that, when I put both dresses side by side, I realised that they were two completely different dresses. I was made to understand in her (the seller's) description of the dresses that it was the same style and came in different colours.
“I emailed my dissatisfaction to the seller, whose reply was defensive. She claimed that the dress fit her perfectly and advised me to read the measurements carefully the next time. My response to her was ‘Next time? There won't be a next time. You just lost a loyal customer'.”
Know what you're buying
This is particularly important when bidding for an item on which you expect to make a profit later. So, be sure that you know something about what you're bidding on, or get help from someone who does, says Scambusters.org.
Keep records of your purchase
Once you've completed the transaction, be sure to print out a copy of the transaction details (date of purchase, details/descriptions of the goods, price and so on). You might need it in case you need to return or exchange the item, or seek a refund.
Check the privacy policy
Scambusters.org says it's important to check the privacy policy of any website you plan to purchase from. “Make sure it has a policy that says your data stay private, and that it won't sell or rent your information to third parties.”
Be alert
Always be on the alert, to avoid being a victim of phishing activities, says Lim.
“Phishing involves an e-mail message being sent out to as many Internet e-mail addresses that the fraudster can obtain, claiming to come from a legitimate organisation such as a bank, online payment service, online retailer and so on. The e-mail requests the recipient to update or verify his personal and financial information, including date of birth, login information, account details, credit card numbers, PIN numbers, and so on,” he adds.
To avoid getting phished, never respond to emails asking you to “confirm” recent transactions.
“Reputable organisations do not send unsolicited e-mail messages asking their customers to update or verify their personal and security details,” says Lim, adding that when one is in doubt, contact the organisation in question immediately.
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Originally posted by Singapore AFOL:Keyloggers are dangerous.
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