As an owner of
Lavalier Dubai, an online jewelry
shop in Dubai, I take e-commerce security very seriously. My blog isn’t only to
showcase Lavalier’s new arrivals and latest jewelry trends but to raise awareness on how to safely and
securely shop online. Many people have their reservations about putting their
credit card information on a site, especially in the UAE and the Middle East. But if you do
a little research and follow the steps below, you will find that there
are several ways to make orders safely and securely.
How is Online Shopping Secure?
The money we spend online is
increasing at an exceptional pace because it’s easy, fast and, nine times out
of ten, cheaper than the malls (this is especially true when shopping in Dubai).
This comes as great news for people who love browsing the net for the latest
trends and styles but how can you make sure that the site you are dealing with
is trustworthy? The best way to do this is to determine what secure online
shopping is and what to look for to avoid scams.
Online shops use technology
which protects the personal information you input when you make an order. In
short, your credit card details are scrambled so that they can't be seen by
anyone, especially those who aim to capture your account details and
use it to buy items (online or off). Scrambling the information eliminates this
issue as the online shop can only see the last 4 digits of your credit card number,
your shipping and billing information and your email address.
Another way of combating unsafe
online shopping in Dubai and elsewhere is to use the Cash on Delivery (COD) payment option. At
Lavalier Dubai, we use this option so our customers can rest assured that
they will pay only when the items are delivered. (
we offer free shipping in the UAE, too!)
But the best way to check out
safely and securely is by using PayPal. As the company’s tagline suggests, they
are the “safest way to pay and receive money online”. Since this is a 3rd party
account, the online shop will not have any access to your payment information
except for your name and address. I have been personally using it for years as a merchant and as a consumer and I am extremely happy with their service.
As for determining if the online shop is secure, I use a handy checklist
whenever I am making a purchase online and luckily, I have never been scammed nor
had my identity stolen.
Here are few things to look for
before you make your purchase.
- Is there
an unbroken key or closed lock in your internet browser window?
These icons reveal that the
internet shop is protected. When the key is broken or the lock is opened, the
internet shop isn't protected. You should check that the online store website
address starts off with "https" instead of "http" when
you're supplying personal data, like your credit card number. This shows that
you are in a secure part of the web store. If you see the text "Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL)", occasionally inside a pop-up window, you know you
are shopping in a secure and safe website.
- Did you
read the fine print?
Before you proceed to check out,
it is absolutely necessary to take the time and read everything the shop has to
say. Many customers skip this step and end up regretting it afterwards. Read
things like their privacy policy, their shipping and returns policy and how
long it takes the item to reach you.
- Is there
a phone number you can call in case you don’t receive you package?
Many shops have a customer
service hotline in case something is wrong with your order. If they don’t have
a number, they must have an email address in their
contact page. If they don't, it's best to stay clear. A little tip I learned is to
sendtheir customer service and email before the purchase to see their response
time. If it’s more than two days, skip the site and go to the next one.
- Did you
check their scam rating?
A great tool to use prior to
purchasing something online is to check their scam rating. I use
Scam Advisor
to see the website information like where they are located and how long the
site has been running. The longer the life of the site, the safer it is. It also check their email address: if it's a free one (like @gmail.com) it's risky. But that doesn't mean it's not a legit site.
- Did you
read the reviews?
Online shoppers usually take to
review sites, like
TrustPilot, to share their experiences. It’s a great way to see
how well, or bad, the order process went. Simply go on Google and search
[website
name] + review to see what customers have to say.
Online shopping allows you to have access to a variety of goods from
around the world and when you have checked all the above points, you can be confident
that your purchase is now being made safely and you can look ahead to getting
your order to your doorstep, hassle-free!
