Shopping online is more secure than ever, but you can never be too careful–especially if the store in question is half a world away. Abigail Hubbard, an assistant professor at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business, says with a little common sense and caution, global e-shopping should be as safe and simple as ordering a Harry Potter book from Amazon.com.
“Shopping online is just shopping online,” she says. “You should have a sense of who your merchant is, use a secure site and buy with a credit card.”
Here are some tips for savvy international e-shopping:
Be mindful of delivery, customs and tax terms. These can vary.
Always use your credit card with a secure Internet connection. Not only will you get a better exchange rate, but you’ll also have protection against fraud.
To avoid confusion (and extra fees) over currency conversion, look for sites that offer prices in U.S. dollars. Some of the most convenient cyber-shops are organized by country, with virtual “shopping carts” for easy checkout.
Verify shipping times, most e-commerce sites use shipping services offering door-to-door delivery within a week or less. Some, however, can take up to 24 days to ship.
Even if you know you’re going to love the item you’re buying, check out the site’s return policy. Most reputable sites offer a money-back guarantee, but read the fine print.
