During Black Week, online shoppers are bombarded with any number of bargain offers. But not every online shop is as reputable as it may first appear. Follow these five tips to ensure your online shopping experience is safe and secure:
1. Protect your computer, smartphone and tablet
Make sure your computer, smartphone and tablet are all secure. Install virus protection, the latest browser version and a firewall. Always install updates straight away, also for apps. Avoid using a particular device if you are not sure how secure it is.
2. Always check links carefully before clicking on them
Before you click on a link, always move your mouse over it first without clicking. The actual web address of the link should then appear. If the link does not take you where you were expecting to go, then be careful. Check the web address of the shop in your browser – any slight differences in the letters or characters are often a sign that the shop is fake.
3. Check the encryption in your browser
You can tell if you have a secure connection if you see a padlock symbol in your browser and the web address starts with “https://”. But remember: fraudulent shops may also be using encryption. If you’re not sure, always do some research about unknown shops on the internet, read the reviews but don’t just blindly trust every customer review.
4. Seal of quality – the sign of a reputable shop
Reputable shops often display seals of quality, such as “Trusted Shops”, “EHI-certified online shop” or “TÜV Süd” (in Germany). Clicking on any of these authentic seals will take you to the issuer’s website. You can also search the issuer’s website to find the shop you’re interested in. Consumer protection organisations, such as the Verbraucherzentrale in Germany, also offer tools to check the authenticity of an online shop, like the Fakeshop Finder.
5. Look out for return deadlines and prices
If you are looking to buy Christmas presents on Black Friday, you should be careful of the deadline for returns – only some shops will allow you to return or exchange goods after Christmas. Make sure to keep receipts or store them digitally. In an emergency, you can also use your bank statement as proof of purchase.
Try to avoid making spontaneous purchases. Compile a list of things of would like to buy and set yourself a budget. You can see how the prices of particular items have developed over time by visiting price comparison sites – this is useful because not all Black Friday offers are genuine bargains. Some dealers increase their prices before putting them on sale to give potential buyers a false impression.
