ONLINE SHOPPING

That technology is advancing by leaps and bounds is a fact that we have been verifying for the last few years, and that is that if we recently talked about the importance of having a website, now it is no longer just that, but also the sales system has changed. Before we used to shop in the store, and although it is something that will not disappear, now it is even more important to have an online store.

And although it seems that this concept of the online store has been necessary for a short time, the truth is that in terms of the world of technology and marketing it is even considered old, so today we can find great differences in terms of the first online stores already with the ones we are used to today, and the fact is that whoever wants to be up to date on their website, cannot get rid of running it regularly.

One of these changes concerns social media. A few years ago they began to be born and today it is essential that your business has a profile on the main social networks, so much so that some people think that if you are not on Facebook you do not exist. And of course, it is not enough to create a profile and let yourself be loved, you have to take care of it every day, report on activities, offers and anything that has to do with your business.

Another of these changes is found in the importance that images have recently acquired in online stores. And it is that the images are the virtual showcase of every store, so its role has grown. The importance of the images and we see how they are increasingly cared for and seek that the customer has almost the same feeling as in a physical store when they can touch and appreciate all the details of the product.

Finally, another element that has changed, or, better said, has improved in the world of online stores is customer service. Nowadays, the best online stores are betting on a fast messaging service where they can chat with the customer. This option provides security to those who buy in the business and have the same confidence as that provided by a physical store seller. With an appropriate courier service, a person who is going to buy can consult with an expert, in addition to doing it in the comfort of their home.

Buying online today is totally safe. We just have to take some precautions and choose the most appropriate form of payment in each case.

SOME PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Tune-up your device before buying. It is recommended to have an antivirus installed to rule out possible viruses capable of collecting personal and banking information from the device. Also, the software installed on the device must be updated.

• Use a secure connection. Avoid buying using public Wi-Fi networks, as they do not offer any security guarantee.

• Search online stores whose address begins with HTTPS and shows a padlock in the address bar. This ensures that the information being transmitted is encrypted.

• Check the information provided by the online store: who they are, where they have a tax address, what data they collect from users and for what purpose, forms of payment they allow, shipping and return policy.

• Inquire about the store in search engines, social networks and forums. Checking what opinions other users have about it can provide a lot of information.

• If you have doubts about the reliability of an online store, it is better to discard the purchase and look for an alternative.

Before making any type of online purchase, it is necessary to implement more technical security measures. It is of little use to be buying in a store that complies with all security measures, if the problem is in our equipment or the network where we are connected.

Therefore basic aspects to take into account:

1. It is necessary to install an antivirus tool. The antivirus protects the device from possible infections that may affect the device and therefore, privacy and security.

2. Devices and their software that are always updated.

3. Use of secure connection. When making a purchase, regardless of the online store, it is important to do it from a trusted Internet network such as our home network or 3G / 4G mobile Internet connection. Under no circumstances is it recommended to make a purchase from a public Wi-Fi network as any user connected to it.

Know payment methods and their characteristics:

There are different options to pay online, either in online stores or between individuals. We must choose the most appropriate according to the type of purchase, trust in the online store, etc.

• Credit or debit card. Using the cards for payment is convenient and fast, since it is done with the information contained in the card itself, it is immediate and can be very safe. However, it is not the best method if we have any doubts about the reliability of the web, since we are providing all the necessary information to make purchases. To prevent the merchant from accessing the card data, many online stores and services use virtual POS with authentication, where the banking entities are in charge of verifying the card’s authentication and protecting the bank’s data from the card. client. This system is currently used by Visa (Verified by Visa) and Mastercard (MasterCard SecureCode).

• Bank transfer. In this type of payment, money is sent from our bank account directly to the seller’s. The main advantage is that no data is entered on any website. However, if the account is abroad it can be difficult to recover the money in case of fraud, since it is a movement of money between two bank accounts.

• Payment platforms. These are independent services that act as intermediaries between us and the seller. The most widely used is PayPal.The main advantage of these platforms is that the store owner does not have access to our credit card data, and these entities also regulate collections and payments, acting as mediators in errors and possible fraud. However, since we are going to provide these platforms with our bank details (card or account), we must inform ourselves of the security measures and what guarantees they offer in case of fraud.

• Instant transfer services. Services like Western Union or MoneyGram are very useful when sending money to known people. It is a very fast and instantaneous system. However, these services are designed to send money, not to manage purchases and once the money has been sent, cancellation or refund are not possible. Furthermore, these types of companies allow money transfers to be made anonymously, making it impossible to identify the recipient in the event of fraud. Criminals know this and often use these systems to carry out their scams. For this reason, they should not be used to make purchases online.

• Cash on delivery. This option ensures that payment is not made until the purchased item is received and verified. The downside is that it is not always accepted by sellers and may involve an additional cost, so we must inform ourselves before using it.

• Prepaid cards. These cards allow payments to be made without them being associated with a bank account. We decide the money that we are going to deposit on the card. Once the money in that card has been used up, we can recharge it if we want. They are requested in any bank, and only the presentation of the DNI is necessary to obtain it. The main advantage is that, in case of loss or theft, we only lose the amount that we have loaded on the card. Therefore, it is not recommended to make very high loads of money.

• The mobile phone. This system uses NFC technology, which is a short-range wireless technology present, for example, in transport subscriptions and already incorporated in most smartphones. Although this payment system is not very widespread in Spain, it allows us to use our mobile phone as if it were a credit card. However, for it to work it is necessary that the card data is stored on the mobile phone. Therefore, in case of loss or theft of our device, they could access the data on our card.