More and more people are buying things from online stores rather than physical ones, and admittedly there are a few benefits to doing so. The first and most obvious is that it’s convenient, especially for someone who has a full time job or else a lengthy commute, so doesn’t usually have much time to go to a physical store. The second one is that it’s less frustrating for the buyer, since ordering a specific product means they won’t have to go from one store to another just to look for it.
However, there’s no denying that online shopping carries some risks with it, the biggest being that you might end up spending a lot of money only to find out that what you bought is fake – or, worse, that the website you visited is fake so now someone has your money but you don’t have what you wanted to buy. So what if you want to buy fashion jewellery online Australia wide? To help you keep your wallet and bank balance safe from thieves, here are some tips you can use to tell if you’re on a legitimate website or not.
Check the URL
The first step to making sure you’re purchasing legitimate products is to make sure you’re on the official website and that it’s secure. Jewellery stores will typically have the URL of their official website in the bio of their social media accounts. Not only should it have the brand name, but it should start with “https://”. Barring that, look for a logo that looks like a small padlock beside the URL; this is another sign that the website is secure and it’s safe to enter any personal and financial details.
Find Out if the Store is Reputable
The best and easiest way to find out if the store is reputable is to read reviews. People who’ve been scammed aren’t afraid to leave a review saying so, but don’t be quick to jump to conclusions just because you found one or two alluding to poor service or hints of a scam. A website with 20 reviews and only two negative ones is safer to use than one with two negative reviews out of five in total.
Besides the reviews, pay attention to the website copy. Bad grammar and misspelled words are big red flags because reputable sites usually have a good copy editing team. If you spot too many errors, avoid the site and head elsewhere for your jewellery.
Look for Photos and a Return Policy
Official websites will include pictures of their products, with at least one photo per product showing the branding on the piece. Look for clean, well-defined stamps, and any serial numbers or references listed in the product description.
Make sure there’s a return policy, too; the usual practice is to allow at least 14 days for the buyer to return the item if they’re not completely happy with it. If there’s none, though, that’s another big red flag. Websites selling fake jewellery won’t make returning the items an option.
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