How To Ensure Safe online shopping India Experience?

The perks of on line shopping are countless. Convenience, speed, and large discounts, are the leading temptations which drive customers to purchase goods on-line. These advantages will only work for you if you keep in mind one very important aspect of on-line shopping: SAFETY! This factor is often overlooked or ignored, in the face of tempting discounts. However, a complete disregard for safety will yield in commercial loss, and in rare cases, identity theft. By considering the following safety tips, you can ensure a safe and trustworthy on-line shopping experience. 

1. Research the store: When you decide upon a store, check user reviews and ratings of customers who have used their products and services. A reputable online retailer should have numerous ways of contacting them such as email, telephone number, and fax. Be sure to visit the company’s “About Us” section. Carefully read through their shipping and return policies. Goods shipped from international sites carry with them heavy charges and longer delivery times.A website should also be authenticated by trust marks. Green address bars, or a Veri Sign Secured Seal are two great examples of genuine authenticity. Address bars that are colour coded are an added security feature. Another small yet important indication of fraud is if the site contains grammatical and spelling errors. A trusted site should not ask for more details other than your shipping address, name, billing address, credit card number and type, and expiration date. 
2. Payment Service: To ensure a secure service, carefully read the privacy policy. If you do not agree with the terms, shop elsewhere. Check for approval stamps from VeriSign or Better Business Bureau On-line. Always check for user reviews about the company’s payment options and credibility. 
3. Steer clear from third party payment offers: Avoid responding to emails from payment services who ask you to verify your account details, passwords, or identity-related information. These types of messages usually lead to identity theft. Always select the payment provider directly from your bookmarks, or simply type the entire URL into the browser. Check to see if the seller is verified by the payment provider, for a few months at least. On some sites, you can check a seller’s ratings, although this information is not entirely reliable. Avoid transferring funds from your account to a third party. You need to be extra vigilant when purchasing expensive items such as jewelry or tech products, especially during holiday season.
4. Tips on using Credit Card wisely: Ensure that the retailer follows certain rules before using your credit card on their site. These are:

• The company will only solicit personal information that is required to finish the transaction. These details include your name, credit card number, telephone number, and address. It is a red light if the company asks for your PAN number, license information, mother’s maiden name, or bank account number. 
• The company site should use technology that is secure. When entering personal information, the web address should begin with https with a small padlock appearing at the lower right hand side of your screen.
• In Internet Explorer, there is a another protective layer called Extended Validation SSL Certificates. Here, the address bar turns green which indicates to the customer that information about that site is available. Sometimes the identity of the site owner is also shown. This certificate keeps all communication with that site secure. 

Online shopping India can be a safe and enjoyable experience, if the above mentioned safety tips are followed.