Online shopping can be the ultimate savior at times. I can think of nothing better than curling up on the sofa at the weekend, having a spot of retail therapy from the comfort of my own sitting room. With it now being the run up to, dare I say it.. Christmas (I'm sorry, don't hate me), shopping in real life is going to become a somewhat impossible task. With a lot of us opting for shopping online so as to avoid the sweaty masses scouring shopping centres to find that perfect pair of socks for their dad/brother/boyfriend.
However, as wonderful as online shopping is, as with everything it does come with it's cons. All may not be as simple as it seems, with products being of bad quality, ill fitting sizes and card hackers it can be a tricky minefield to navigate. So I have put together some pieces of advice that may help out a few of my fellow shopaholics when shopping online.
Reviews
If you are ordering from a website you have never ordered from before look at reviews, they are everywhere. Chances are there are hundreds of blog posts and reviews about that particular brand or website just waiting to be read. Most people are honest about this kind of thing and if you see nothing but bad reviews it may be best to give that one a miss.
Security
There are many ways to keep your debit or credit card secure when shopping online. For example, with Bank of Ireland I use Verified by Visa which is a free and automatic online security service that helps to guard your card against unauthorized use online. So if you loose your card you don't have to worry about someone finding it and using it online before you get a chance to cancel it.
Ask a Friend
Whenever I am ordering from a new website I will always ask my friends if they have ordered from it before and what they thought. This helps out massively when it comes to things like quality and picking the right size. The main problem with online shopping is that you can't try on what you are buying, so you have to really know your size. Some brands may not be true to size, so by asking a friend you will know exactly whether or not to size up or down.
Be Organised
If you are shopping with a certain event in mind be sure to give enough time for the item to be delivered and also bear in mind the fact that it may not fit or suit you and you may have to send it back. A lot of people don't give themselves enough time and end up having to opt for next day delivery, which just means you are paying extra for something that you could have shopped in advance for and saved money.
Approved Catalogues
ApprovedCatalogues is a place that compiles together a list of catalogues, saving you the effort of navigating through different sites. From clothes to furniture, they have a catalogue for you. With brands such as SimplyBe and Jd Williams on board, this may just be the way forward when it comes to online shopping.
What advice would you have when it comes to shopping online?
Adele x
Adele x
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