While online shopping is both easy and convenient, it also comes with certain risks – including scams and misrepresented products.

In today’s online world, it’s crucial for consumers to not only know how to protect themselves when shopping on the web, but also what their rights are if things don’t go as planned.

Step one: Be scam aware

While many online sellers are legitimate, scammers can look just as genuine. They may even display positive reviews, which can make it challenging for consumers to know if they’re credible or not.

It’s often worth reading user reviews thoroughly – in particular the negative ones – and taking note of the dates they were written. You could also check out the Scamwatch, which helps identify scams.

A checklist for before you buy:

• Confirm what currency the price is in.
• Check whether the product will work in Australia, particularly if purchasing any electrical goods.
• Check out warranty and after sales support, especially if the seller is from overseas.
• Understand the return and repairs policies and any associated costs.
• Identify the full cost, including postage and delivery fees. You may wish to consider ‘Click and Collect’ or free delivery offers and, if purchasing more than one item, to make one big order instead of several small ones.
• Additionally, if the seller’s bank is outside of Australia, verify your bank’s foreign transaction fees. Some banks may even refund the fee if you complain.
• As you’re checking out, watch out for any pre-ticked boxes and add-ons.

A checklist for when you’re paying:

• Hover your cursor over links and check before you click, to see where you’re being redirected to.
• Only make payments on secure websites, where the URL begins with ‘https’ (‘s’ stands for secure) with an icon of a closed padlock.
• Use secure payment methods (such as a credit cards or PayPal) and be wary of sellers asking for unusual payment methods like gift cards or money orders, as these are usually impossible to trace.
• Keep records of all purchases, including the order form.
• Check receipts with credit card statements to ensure that you weren’t overcharged.

Part two of this article will detail your rights if your online purchases were misrepresented, don’t perform as expected or were poor quality.

Like every article on this website, this is not personal financial advice. If you are in debt and need additional support, you can contact the National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007.