WITH more people shopping online than ever before and lots of sites offering bargains, it is easy to be tempted into buying things that are not quite as they seem.
According to research from MarkMonitor and Neilson, one in five people who has bought online has been duped into buying counterfeit goods.
Charlie Abrahams, vice-president of MarkMonitor, offers top tips for making sure you are paying for real luxury– and not falling for imitation products that may lead to disappointment, especially if you are buying designer goods to give as Christmas presents.
Abrahams says: “The growth and anonymity of the internet makes it easy for companies to sell fake and pirated goods. Our recent shopping report revealed that a startling one in five bargain hunters mistakenly shopped on e-commerce sites selling counterfeit goods while looking for deals online.”
1 Security
If the web address begins with https:// the “s” tells you that you’re on a secure website.
2 Shop Around
Research the item’s recommended retail price (RRP). If the price you’re seeing is less than 50 per cent of the RRP, there is a high possibility that the goods will be fake.
3 Payment
When inputting your payment details, look for the padlock sign on the page – it’s usually located at the top or bottom right of the screen.
4 Online marketplaces
Only use online marketplaces and auction sites that you know about.
5 Your privacy
Genuine websites will have a detailed privacy policy that explains how your personal details are used or stored.
6 Returns
It’s really important to look for and check the returns policy before you buy. A bona fide seller should provide details and contact information so you can cancel, with details of where to return goods.
7 Check the site out
If you think you may have found a dodgy dealer, do a search for them on the internet and check their reputation. Look out for spelling mistakes in the website copy as you won’t find these on professional retailers’ websites.
8 Location
If the company you’re buying from is based outside the UK, make sure you record the trader’s full address and other contact details.
9 Authorised retailers
Some of the big brands have dedicated pages on their websites so consumers can check whether a retailer is authorised by them or not.
10 Common Sense
If something sounds too good to be true, the chances are it probably is. Don’t be tempted to shell out for something that appears to be selling for far lower than the usual price.