How to Check if a Shopping Website is Legit

7 Tips to Check if a Shopping Website is Legit

A person using a laptop holding a debit card. Photo: Unsplash

Online shopping has caught on practically everywhere, with folks of all ages – from kids to teens and adults to seniors – finding it a real timesaver and extremely convenient. 

But it's not always smooth sailing; the risks of fraud and deception are all very real things you should watch out for.

Determining if an online retailer selling exotic furniture, clothes, gadgets, or other products is legitimate can be quite challenging, so you can’t always feel fully confident that you’re actually going to receive the items you’ve ordered.

What’s more, how do you know if the online payment methods used by these websites are truly secure for shopping? How can you ensure your personal data is kept confidential when making purchases?

Well, that’s why we’re here to guide you on evaluating whether a shopping website is trustworthy and authentic.

1. Always Check Customer Reviews and Ratings

Whenever you come across a shopping website online, it’s a good idea to do a quick Google search and check the customer reviews and ratings. 

There is a separate space for ratings and reviews on every website; the trick here is to cross-check the validity of the reviews. 

Visit social media apps and review websites, and search for relevant reviews there; it should help you see if it's genuine or a fraud. Bear in mind that reviews can sometimes also be faked, so stay critical.

Do the reviews sound manufactured? Do they all sound the same or repeat the same points? Are the reviews written with incorrect grammar?

It’s also important to focus on all reviews, both positive and negative, before placing your purchase, just to get an idea of reliability. It’ll help you learn what sorts of issues other clients may have dealt with.

2. Website URL Speaks for Itself – Look for the Padlock

Scammers will go to great lengths to avoid detection, often creating URLs and patterns that closely resemble legitimate sites they intend to infringe upon. 

A smart move is to search for the website directly in your browser and see if any suspicious, similar sites appear.

Another crucial step is to carefully examine the padlock icon in the address bar. When clicked, you should see valid certificates from the company, information about third-party involvement, and details on cookie usage. 

Traditionally, hackers couldn’t replicate the padlock security feature, but advancements in technology and the sophistication of cybercriminals have made it possible to bypass this safeguard.

3. Verify the Validity of Payment Methods

Genuine online shopping websites will always offer credit or debit cards, digital wallets (like PayPal or Apple Pay) and Buy Now, Pay Later services like Klarna; if the website you’re browsing asks for any other type of payment, it could be a warning sign.

Wire transfers can be an unsafe method when shopping online, since you can never be entirely certain that the company will deliver the goods, or whether it's a scam.

The uncertainty surrounding the legitimacy of the business can leave you vulnerable. 

4. Contact Through the Provided Email, Address, or Contact Number

Legitimate shopping websites make it easy to contact them. They usually list a physical business address, customer service email, live chat option, and phone number.

Reach out to them through these contact methods. A genuine company will respond professionally.

You can also check the physical address by looking it up on online maps. This helps confirm if the company is real or not.

Using the provided contact information is a good way to evaluate if a shopping website is legitimate before making purchases.

5. Check Their Business Registration

Does the website provide information about their legal business entity? 

Legitimate companies will typically display details like their corporation name, registration number, and physical address on their website. 

You can cross-reference this information with official business registries in your state to confirm the retailer is legally registered and authorized to conduct business. 

While a listed business registration doesn't guarantee perfect practices, it provides an extra level of accountability and transparency that fly-by-night operations often lack.

6. Use a VPN

You can prevent data breaches and personal information leakage risks by using a secure and trusted VPN.

While connecting to the WI-Fi or any internet source outside your home for online purchasing and web browsing, it’s even more important to ensure your safety and prevent data leakage by using a secure virtual private network.

For peace of mind while online shopping, use a reputable VPN service to protect your private information.

7. Follow Your Gut

If you have a bad gut feeling about an online shopping website, and even after doing your due diligence, you still have doubts… then it’s likely better to trust your instincts and avoid it. 

To Sum It Up

Online shopping certainly saves a lot of time and effort. However, trusting and depending on legitimate websites is key. Hopefully, you’re now better prepared to verify the legitimacy of shopping websites. 

Remember – it's always better to stay safe and prevent your personal information from falling into the wrong hands than to deal with the aftermath.

This article is brought to you by a collaboration with Surfshark.