The internet has clearly evolved in the past decade, with more links, information and shopping websites than ever. The mindset about online shopping had also clearly changed as the ease and comfort of shopping at home is clearly evident. Buying a gift for a friend has never been so much easier with the variety of options, all simply by clicking on the internet.

But with the vast number of merchants out there, the internet is very much a huge marketplace and caution has to be taken to shop online.

Today,at catalyzt.com.sg, we share with you 8 tips on shopping online. We hope you will use these pointers when shopping to ensure a secured and fun experience!

1. What is the currency of the price stated ?

In an international online store, the price stated might not be your local Singapore dollars currency. If the currency stated is not in your local currency, goto any currency converter website such as oanda.com and get an estimated cost of the item in your local currency. As currency rates changes day by day, you will also need to buffer in some exchange rate differences and also your credit card charges for non-local currency transactions.

2. Does the price includes delivery ?

Check out any delivery charges that might be excluded from the price tag. In Singapore, Singpost services will mainly be used to deliver an item to the customer. Typically it will cost from $1 to $1.50 per piece of clothing ordered. You should always check out the Singpost website for the rates of postage.

3. Is the delivery guaranteed ?

There are mainly 2 types of delivery, tracking and non-tracking mail. To opt for tracking mail, the guarantee will be provided by the postal agent and it comes with additional cost of $2.24 for local domestic and $2.20 for international customers. Make sure you inform the seller if you want to track your item and check the additional cost that comes with it. This is because some merchants levy a fee for this additional service to process your parcel in the post office. So please make sure you are ok with what they are charging. If you do not want to opt for registered article, in the event that the mail gets lost, 100% of the time the merchant bears no responsibility because the mailing is lost by the mail handler (which is another company) and not the merchant.

4. Is the merchant reliable ?

A basic check if the merchant is registered to perform trade in the country. Any registered business in Singapore will have their own registration number. This number is issued by ACRA (Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority). It is generally safer to deal with a business that is registered compared to a seller who does not register with the authorities, unless the seller is somebody you know. However, having said that, it is also wise to do a google check on the merchant's reputation before any purchase. It is definitely impossible to satisfy 100% of the customers, so there will be dissatisfied cases for any businesses. But if you suspect serious issues with the company, then do not deal with them.

5. Are you shown actual photos of the products you are buying ?

Always request actual photos on the items you intend to buy if you are not being shown on the website. This is because photos given by the supplier has models and correct light conditions to make the clothes attractive, but you will not be able to tell how the actual item looks like in room condition. A sincere merchant will always help to provide actual photographs and answer any questions you have on the product to the best of their ability.

6. Do you have enough information of the item you are buying ?

Besides refering to the seller's size chart, always request for detail measurements of each item you intend to buy. This is because for any 2 person of the same size, their shoulder width, arm width, chest width..etc.. might be very different. So requesting for additional information helps you to decide if the item does fit. If the item might be slightly bigger, try and buffer some alteration cost in, and decide if it is worth buying. If you suspect the item might be too small or too big beyond alteration, do not purchase it unless you are ok with selling it on eBay.

7. Will your credit card or bank details be safe ?

For shopping websites that provide direct payment by credit cards on their websites, it is essential that they are using SSL 128bit encryption for your credit card information. Always check the url to start with https and the "lock" icon at the bottom of your browser window. Do not proceed to enter your credit card details if it is not secured. Alternatives to pay by credit card securely will be via PayPal.
For bank transfer, it is important that you keep all transaction details safely until the completion and delivery of your parcel and always double check the account number you are crediting to make sure it is correct.

8. Will your personal information be safe ?

Always check the privacy policy of the company to be sure that your privacy is protected as you do not want your personal information to be divulged to any other third parties who are not involved in the transaction. An unsubscribe clause should always be included by the merchant for all email correspondence so that you can choose to opt out receiving emails from them.

Lastly and most importantly, enjoy the process of shopping online :D

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