This mornnig I had a chat about shopping online with Steve Martin on ABC Local Radio Ballarat.
Here are some of the key points from our chat.
What you can and cant buy online
You can buy just about anything you can think of from your weekly groceries to real estate, in fact the only thing that you cant buy online is human organs and love. (legally)
Some items you should be weary of buying online
Computer software – especially if its from overseas and the price is a fraction of the retail price
Motor Vehicles – the web it a great place to help you find a new set of wheels but you can’t beat a test drive.
Electrical items without any serviceable warranty
Items that I prefer to buy in bricks & mortar retailers
Televisions & other large home appliances – you can still haggle a good price for these.
Computers. Unless you buying online from a reputable store like Dell, buying in a retail shop usually means you have access to after sales service.
Shopping online – what to look out for
Stick to larger online stores that can also be contacted by phone if there is a problem.
If you shopping on price, dont forget to factor in postage – especially if shippong from overseas.
Also when buying internationally, check to see what exchange rate you are actually getting as it may not be what you expect.
Despite people complaining about their fees, i think using a payment service like PayPay is a great idea as it offers better protection for buyers and sellers if a problem comes up.
EBay is great for a bargain, however check the sellers rating and recent feedback and be extra weary of items shipped from asia – especially if buying software or electronics.
Have good internet security software installed that can spot fraudulant websites and protect your personal and financial information.
Also the governments scamwatch.gov.au website is a great resource for keeping up to date on the latest scams.
