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How To Stay Safe From Fake eCommerce Websites In Festive Seasons?

The festive season has hit India, and companies have started rolling out exciting offers and unbelievable discounts.

That is the time of the year when people buy more and sellers record some record sales.
The festive season breaks records of sales every year, and that is also a season when many people lose money or get cheated. Now, a large number of people buy a product online from various eCommerce sites, and it is not a new thing that people often get cheated by the wrong product or not having a product at all. In this article, we will highlight some points that will help you identify the face of eCommerce platforms.
So,
Let’s get started,

Look at the ads:

In most cases, people encounter these fake eCommerce platforms via a different types of ads. These ads are so alluring that people can’t resist, be it Facebook, Google, or any other channel.
You need to read the ad content thoroughly. Is it too good to be true? As they are spammers, they won’t mind offering some unrealistic offer-related banners. For example, you might see branded shoes or any electronic gadget is being sold at a super low price.
Non-branded products might be available at low prices, that’s ok, but everyone knows the price of branded products. Now, how can one provide it at cheaper than the company? So, these types of ads should be ignored at first.

Check the website:

When you visit the website, you need to check the website about us page. Look at the all-reputed eCommerce websites, Amazon, Flipkart, Alibaba, or others. They clearly mention every detail of their company. However, the startup eCommerce businesses do not have to be exposed, but they would still have legal documents. You would mention Company Identification Number to their site. The CIN number can be verified through the government database. In India, all the database and information of a company are stored and handled by MCA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. All the companies run in India have data on the site. Without a company, you can run an eCommerce business.

Check the reputation:

The internet can mask everyone easily. But that is the one side, and the other side is it can spread the news in minutes to the world and make someone viral in a couple of moments. That makes it quite easy to find information and legitimacy of any individual, especially any company. So, how can you check the reputation of an eCommerce company online? You need to check the review or ratings of the company. There are many review platforms where people voluntarily share their experiences about a company. Now, if you are willing to buy any product from any new eCommerce company, you can search its reviews on Google. That will give you an idea about the eCommerce platform.
However, if it’s too new, you might not find enough reviews about the eCommerce company.

Here you can take a different approach.

Search through social media:

Now social media is not just a way of marketing it’s an inevitable medium to stay connected with customers. That’s why you might have noticed all the big companies are hyperactive on social media. Companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Mi, and many other renowned brands are quick to respond to any query of their customers. So, social media presence is a must for an eCommerce company. You can search on social media channels if the company has an account there? if not you better stay away from shopping anything there.

Do they accept online payment?

Many people still hesitate in India to make an online payment and there is a strong reason people think so. In India, Debit Card and Credit Card related frauds are extreme and agencies take actions to bring them down. Despite all the incidents, online payment is safe if it is done with proper knowledge. Most of the online payments are done through payment gateways. It is a bridge between the seller and the buyer in terms of payment. When you pay for anything, the payment gateway holds the payment for a period and during that time you could ask for a refund of the money if you are not satisfied with the product and service, you could ask for a refund. If the eCommerce platform is legitimate, the payment gateway will allow them to integrate on the site. Payment gateway approval is a major task and needs to fillup strict paperwork. That’s the reason, you should avoid eCommerce platforms that do not accept payment gateways.

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