Wow! That is some subject line I have for this post. Looks like I have a lot to cover in this post. LOL!
Last week I wrote a post about a horrible online shopping experience I had. I purchased a DVD from Ebay and neglected to read the feedback on the seller that others had provided. Because of that I was out the $$$ I paid for a bootleg copy (unbeknown to me) of a movie – and a horrible one at that.
I’ve been reading all the online shopping horror stories that others have shared with me so far. If you are unfamiliar with that post you can read more about it here, https://www.shescribes.com/2011/10/online-shopping-horror-stories-250-amex-gift-card-giveaway.html. Be sure to check the post out because I’m giving away a $250.00 American Express (AMEX) gift card. I’m sure many people could use it for their holiday shopping.
Based upon what I’ve read that has shared on the other posts, here is my Top 5 Savvy Online Shopping Tips to help you avoid another online shopping horror story.
1 – Know the seller.
Ebay, Amazon and other online retailers/websites allow people to leave feedback about a seller. Before you make a purchase be sure to check out what others have to say about the seller. If the seller has a lot of negative feedback take a few moments to read WHY the seller received a negative rating. Sometimes it’s over something silly, or something out of the seller’s control, which doesn’t fully warrant a negative review.
It is important that YOU leave reviews whenever possible too, especially if you have a bad experience. You need to warn people so they don’t fall victim to a bad seller.
2. Read the fine print.
Before you make a purchase make sure to read the “fine print”, such as returns, exchanges, warranties and damages. For example you might want to familiarize yourself with a seller’s return and exchange policy. If you are responsible for shipping in the event you purchase the wrong size item, you might want to double check your size before taking that chance. Or consider shopping at a site with a more lenient return/exchange policy.
Make sure to read ALL of the product details too so that there are no surprises when the product arrives. Sometimes what you see online it’s always what you’ll get. Plus you don’t want to get hit with any kind of re-occurring subscription fee.
3. Don’t buy only based on rave reviews featured on a site.
FYI… people lie. It’s sad to say but it’s true.
Have you ever visited a website and saw that it’s covered in rave reviews from previous customers? That is all fine and dandy but how do you know that they are 100% legitimate comments? Any webmaster can easily slap up a dozen outstanding reviews and make up a fake name and town. This is why I like places like Amazon and Ebay because you know most of those reviews are real. Not only that a company is not going to put up reviews that are less then flattering. Of course they are going to want to shine in your eyes. They might have a dozen legitimate rave reviews, but whose to say that they don’t have THREE DOZEN negative reviews?
4. Have the correct size, shape, color and other details on hand BEFORE making a purchase.
Never guess at what size you need. Don’t assume the green sweater you want is Kermit the Frog green when it can really be pea green. Be a smart shopper and know your child’s size, or your aunt’s favorite color, BEFORE you make a purchase so that you do not have to deal with the hassle of returns and exchanges.
5. Check your bank account and card statements.
Make it a habit to check your bank account and card statements every day. Accidents happen. Perhaps you didn’t think an order went through properly so you hit the submit button a second or third time, only to find out you ordered the same thing 2-3 times. Worst yet, someone could get a hold of your card or banking information and use it to make purchases at your expense.
When you are placing an online order make sure the URL reads https:// – that means it’s a SECURE web page. Or look for some other indication that the site is secure.
These are my Top 5 Savvy Online Shopping Tips. If you have any of your own please feel free to comment in this post and let me know. I would love to hear from you!
Speaking of Top 5… American Express wanted me to share with you my Top 5 Fall Fashion Must Haves.
Please know that I am not a fashion diva. I’m just an ordinary person. So these are my “Ordinary Person’s” Top 5 Fall Fashion Must Haves. LOL!
1. Fashion Boots
My daughter, the Fashion Diva, told me that I MUST own a pair of fashion boots. I have Winter boots to kept my feet warm out in the snow but my teen daughter said that is not good enough. Everyone should own a good pair of fashion boots. Apparently Ugg boots are all the rage – still – so I have a pair of black Uggs because I figure that the color black goes with everything, from leggings to jeans.
2. Warm Jacket
The weather during the Autumn months can be tricky. Some days are warm, other days are bitterly cold. There are times a hoodie will do and sometimes you need something heavier, but not as heavy as a Winter coat. Therefore a nice “in-between” jacket is essential for the Autumn months.
3. Versatile Cardigan
When I was planning my trip to LA in September I heard from a lot of people that packing a couple of cardigans was a good idea. Cardigans can be so versatile. They can be worn “down” with a tee shirt and a pair of jeans, or dressed up with a nice blouse, skirt and/or dress pants. I have a cardigan that has a removable fake fur collar so I can really dress it up or down if I want. I picked the color black because black goes with everything.
4. Comfy Stretch Jeans
Do I need to explain why everyone needs a comfy pair of stretch jeans? LOL! Stretch jeans are not only super comfortable but they are also great to dress up or dress down. They go great with heels, fashion boots (like the Uggs) or sneakers. You can wear them with a tee shirt, blouse or a lovely cardigan. Some stretch jeans have small rips in them (pre-ripped – it’s a fashion thing) or are pre-faded to make them look well worn.
5. “Little Black Dress”
I’m a plus size woman, so I don’t own anything “little” (ha ha), but the idea of a “little black dress” is timeless and classic. Everyone should have a special dress that you can wear in a variety of situations like a holiday party, date night with your significant other, wedding or a night on the town with friends.
I have the same dress as pictured. I tried to take pictures of it but they did not turn out well.
These are my Top 5 Fall Fashion Must Haves. What about you? Do you have any “must haves” that I didn’t include on my list? Do you think I did a pretty good job, especially considering I’m not really a fashionable person?
Just think, if you win the $250 American Express gift card you could purchase your own Fall Fashion Must Haves. 🙂
Remember… there is still time to enter the $250 American Express Giveaway. Please visit this link to enter. Make sure you read the entry requirements and take advantage of the extra entry options too.
https://www.shescribes.com/2011/10/online-shopping-horror-stories-250-amex-gift-card-giveaway.html
Kimberly
*I was compensated for my participation in this program. All opinions expressed are my own. American Express will be providing the prize/gift card.
VickieB says
Good points, unfortunately not followed by some – the size thing is important too. A really good example… I was happy with an online purchase of glasses, but I was also very careful to take the measurements of a pair of frames I had that I liked, to make sure they fit my face.