Tips on Safe Shopping Online in Australia

Below are some tips on how to make your internet shopping enjoyable & safe.

Questions to ask yourself?

• How do I know if it is safe to shop at a particular web site?
• Will I be ripped off?
• How will the items be delivered?
• How safe are my transactions?

These are just some of the questions that we as online shoppers will ask ourselves. So, we here at Ausplaza have decided to put some tips together to help you shop safely on the internet.

Shopping Cart

An online shop should have a Shopping Cart. This is where you 'take' your goods and services when you are ready to order and pay. The Shopping Cart should be on a Secure Server which basically means that your method of payment is safe and secure.

How can I tell if the shopping cart is on a secure server you are now wondering, well if you look down at the bottom of your browser a lock or key will appear and this will be locked.

	Internet Explorer lock
	Netscape Lock

The URL address should also be or change to https://www... signifying that it is a secure site.

If you cannot see these then the Shopping Cart is NOT secure. I would NOT be entering in my credit card details at this point. But what if it is something that you have been looking for for ages? Well email the vender and ask some questions about why the site is not secure. It is at your own risk that you enter your credit card details.

Additional points to consider

There are more things that you should also do to help assist you with a safe shopping experience and these will help you save money and some time in the long run

• Print out your confirmation of order and/or receipts
• Check delivery details and times of delivery so that you can be at home, or consider getting it delivered to your work address
• If you find more than one thing at a particular shop that you want, buy them all together so that you save on delivery charges
• Take your time and shop around. There are so many shops on the internet now, you should be able to find a bargain somewhere!
• Phone or email the retailer with some questions about their goods & services if it is the first time you are dealing with them
• Check the refund and returns policy
• Ensure the goods you are purchasing are legal in Australia
• Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true
• Never give bank details to anyone including businesses

For more information on internet shopping go to Fair Trading in your state. Information for NSW can be located at: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/shopping/shoppingfromhome.html

Enjoy your shopping.

Regards,

The AUSPlaza Team