As my parents often buy things online, I wanted to be able to give them a checklist of things to ensure that they buy from a reputable website. I have developed a quick check list of things I look for in a website when I am going to buy something online.
Secure - Firstly and most importantly, never give out your financial details online unless you are connected to a secure server. You can tell this by looking at the URL bar in your browser. If it says https:// then it is a secure server. If it is http:// then it is not. This only applies when you come to entering you bank details though, you can happily browse the site and add items to your basket on the http version of the site.
Page Rank - This is not essential by any means, but it can help you gauge whether the site has just setup yesterday or has been around a few years. Page Rank is the indication of how many other websites link to the website you are looking at. Amazon for example has a Page Rank of 8.
Postage - Again this is not essential but when you are looking at the price of your item, don't forget to look at the postage and packing. Consider also the actual delivery - if it's a big item, will they phone you to arrange a suitable day for delivery?
Reviews - using the search engine of your choice, try looking for reviews of the website to see if you can find any complaints. You could also look for their brand name in eBay or Amazon to see if they have an Ebay shop or are an Amazon seller - if so you can check their ratings.
Vouchers - Have a check on voucher sites to see if you can find any voucher codes for the website.
Contact us advice - I trust websites that have an easy to find physical address.
Customer helpline - If you are having problems with the website, how easy are they to contact for assistance.
Usability of shopping basket - This one is a deal breaker for me. If I add something to a shopping cart but then can't navigate back to the shop or if I can't get back to cart, I give up in disgust.
Mehwish is the Director of EmuToys with many years experience in Wooden Toy eCommerce.
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