7 principles when shopping online
Along with the benefits that online shopping brings, consumers have been facing the downside of online shopping. Here are 7 essential principles when shopping online:
- Select a trading partner
The first thing consumers need to keep in mind is to choose an e-commerce site or choose a “good” e-commerce business organization or individual to transact. In general, normal “good” e-commerce businesses must meet criteria such as: Ensuring the legality and integrity of the goods and services provided.
In addition, the goods and services provided must meet technical standards and quality according to the corresponding provisions of the law of Vietnam.
Do not hide or provide false or misleading information about businesses and goods, services, especially factors such as price, quality, warranty … Ensure consumers the opportunity to choose with diversity in price and quality.
The seller must provide consumers with a good warranty which clearly stipulates repair, replacement, return, refund, compensation … and appropriate handling when a dispute occurs.
To ensure their rights, before making an online transaction, consumers need to conduct related information checking steps.
Consumers have been faced with the downside of online shopping.
Specifically, determine the reputation of the trading partner; ask your partner to provide you with complete information about your business and merchandise.
If in an online shopping transaction, the business only provides you with a contact phone number and refuses or does not provide other information such as office address, transaction location, fax number, address email only … you should be suspicious of this partner. No business is truly doing business but trying to hide from such consumers.
- Understand the goods, services and transactions
Before buying, you need to understand the goods, services and transactions, especially to read and understand the terms and conditions to really understand that you are buying a goods or services which have no hidden information about price, quality or certain restrictions.
A fact now is that many consumers are “afraid” to read and learn but simply choose to click “OK”, “Yes”, “Next” or click the button to accept a transaction without really understanding the conditions attached. This is very easy to bring about future risks that consumers can not foresee.
One advice of most online shopping experts and consumer protection organizations is to clarify whatever the buyer wants about the product service before buying.
Is it a well-known brand product, with services certified by industry organizations? How goods delivery service, how to resolve if the product is lost, the seller has received the goods or not, for how long, is there a packaging fee when returning the product? Is there any repair service, how warranted … You should save this information.
- Make sure the device you are trading is secure
There are many consumers who are deceived when buying or selling personal information due to the insecurity on their own terminal. So, before you trade (especially before entering your personal information) make sure your computer, tablet or phone is safe when you have installed or updated anti-virus software and other security measures.
- Check and compare
If you have any doubts about anything, do not hesitate to check and compare. If you suspect that the price is too high or that the promotion is a price fraud, type the name of the product and the keywords into the search engine, it will be very easy for you to have comparison on prices and promotions from vendors of other or similar products.
You must keep in mind that suppliers always try to highlight the advantages of goods, services and transactions that will try (or willfully) not mention unfair information.
For example, it will emphasize the price factor, but “ignore” the restriction in terms of warranty or return – refund … Therefore, if you have any doubts please check.
- Caution when paying
An important stage in online transactions is payment. Note that you are buying online, so in many cases, the payment is also online. If you have agreed to transfer money from your account then withdrawing will be very difficult. So be cautious.
- Keep transaction evidence
Retains copies of all documents, including electronic records of offers, brochures, contracts, emails, receipts and all other documents that record transaction between you and business organizations and individuals.
In case the document cannot be kept in hard copy, keep a soft copy or a scanned copy of transaction evidence. These documents will be evidence to ensure the rights as well as to resolve disputes between consumers and business organizations and individuals in the future.
- Complaints and handling of complaints
If something goes wrong, first contact the supplier and tell them how you would like to solve it. Experience shows that over 50% of complaints from consumers are resolved through direct modes between the seller and the buyer. Complaints online, email or phone will be helpful tools for you.
If you pay the products by credit card and you do not receive a product or service, contact the bank for assistance in checking and performing the operations necessary to protect your money.
Finally, remember that in Vietnam there are many different mechanisms to protect the interests of consumers, whether you do online shopping or normal shopping. If you believe that your legal rights and interests have been violated during the online shopping process, do not hesitate to contact the state management agencies, social organizations about consumer protection for support, advice, guidance.
