Online Shopping on the Up, Make Sure You Are Safe
Remember when you had to venture into a travel agency to book your flight? Or when we had queue for ages at the bank to get a statement or transfer money? Four years ago the thought of ordering groceries from the comfort of your armchair was inconceivable and insurance, well, you needed to make an appointment with a broker for that.
“Online shopping has definitely made our lives easier and has changed the way we operate in a business as well as commercial environment. The Internet has also dramatically altered the state of the short-term insurance industry as today, over 20% of insurance policies are purchased online,” says Fabian Angiers, general manager of Dial Direct Insurance, a short-term insurance company that is reaping the rewards from selling its product on the Internet. “According to a survey conducted by research firm World Wide Worx, South Africans spent R514-million shopping online last year – pretty good considering there are only 3.6 million internet users in South Africa.”
Angiers continues: “While we are no where near the 225,801,428 American Internet users who will reportedly spend $100-Billion on online shopping this year, South Africans online spend should increase over time due to the emerging popularity of broadband or high speed internet access. At Dial Direct Insurance for example, our online client base increased by 89% in just one year, proof that E-commerce shopping is on the up. ”
So what makes internet shopping so alluring? According to a survey conducted by Deloitte & Touche, the top three reasons for shopping online are: the convenience of 24/7 shopping, the fact that it saves time and because it is less hassle and you do not have to put up with crowds in shopping malls. That said, security and fraud concerns are still rife in South Africa and many consumers are skeptical about giving their credit card details out over the Net.
“In reality however, online shopping is on the whole, very safe. Many online companies utilise advanced security infrastructure but the consumer also has to play a role in protecting his/herself online,” says Angiers.
Dial Direct Insurance offers the following tips for safe, secure, online shopping:
- Where possible, use a secure online payment service.
- If you are looking for a good deal - shop around – that is the beauty of the Internet.
- Never reveal your online password or banking password to anyone. If you think your online password has been compromised, change it immediately.
- It is advisable not to keep your personal or financial information (including account passwords) on your computer.
- Once you have finished conducting your banking or shopping on the Internet, always sign off the site before visiting a new Internet site.
- Make sure the online store is legitimate. If you don't know the business by reputation, conduct some research first.
- Keep a record of what you pay for and always check your online purchases against your bank statement.
- Always check the privacy policy of any Web site that requests personal details. Some unscrupulous companies will sell your personal information or add you to multiple email lists.
- Keep your operating system, anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software up to date.
- Make sure you are using a secure server and browser before you enter credit card information online.
- Always read the fine print before you buy.
“Shopping for a product or service over the Internet is a fantastic way to compare prices, save yourself time and sometimes even money. We believe that online shopping is the way of the future and urge consumers to be in-the know and savvy what it comes to online safety issues,” concludes Angiers.