Avoid Getting Scammed! 5 Pro Tips for Finding Trustworthy Ecommerce Sites

Now, more than ever, is the time to opt for shopping online! The world as we know it looks a little different these days and there’s no easier way to social distance than shopping from the comfort of your own home. Sometimes, online shopping can be tricky, especially when hearing about fraudulent sites or seeing deals that might look too good to be true. It’s important to look out for sites that improve your online experience, not hinder it. This is why we have come up with five tips to keep in mind while shopping online.

Free or Low-Cost Shipping is Key
We’ve all been there: you find something you love online and put it in your bag, but once you’re ready to purchase, you’re surprised by the hidden shipping fee. Sometimes you can find something great online, at a fantastic price point only to find out the shipping costs nearly double your purchase. Avoid this by looking for reputable online sites that have free or low-cost shipping. At LongJewelers.com we offer free and insured shipping for purchases made over $50 to ensure that you have nothing to worry about when shopping online with us!

Only Shop a Website You Trust
Shopping in person can add that extra security of knowing the store and its products actually exist. Since shopping online doesn’t always offer this same security and trustworthy shopping experience, it definitely helps to know your online store is an extension of a brick and mortar counterpart like Long’s. That’s why if you already know of the store you’re online shopping, it adds some peace of mind to your shopping experience. Long’s has five store locations in the New England area so a lot of our online customers have seen us around or stopped in to shop at one time or another. If not, there’s always google or yelp reviews from trusted sources that can add some reputability to an online business. Click these links to read our Yelp and Google reviews.

Read the Return Policy
While in person at a store, it is a simpler return policy that is easier understood-you buy your item, get a receipt and if you have any questions, you can ask the representative at the register. Return policies look a lot different when shopping online, however, which is why it is so important to find the return policy and read it over carefully. On some less trustworthy websites, you may not even be able to find one, they may charge a fee, or they might not even have a policy at all. This is an important thing to take note of, especially when you can’t view the item in person or try it out for yourself before purchasing it. On more trustworthy websites, the company will offer free returns or exchanges and provide you with return shipping labels. See this link to view our return policy at Long’s.

Shopping For Gifts
Consider the online store’s gifting options. Now, it’s easier than ever to purchase a gift for someone far away. At Long’s we offer complimentary gift wrapping at no additional charge and can gift your item(s) and ship them off for you without you having to lift a finger! Just make sure to list in the notes section at checkout that it is meant to be a gift. Also, when it comes to buying gift cards online, always pay attention to the terms and conditions before you buy. Make sure to read through the details carefully to clarify how the person you are gifting the card to will be able to redeem. And always, always make sure you are purchasing it from a trusted site!

Take Advantage of a Site's Digital Features
Most of the time, a trusted site will have cool and helpful features such as Live Chat, Wish Lists, Virtual Consultations and more that can help make your online experience a good one and improve your sense of trust for the website. In today’s new normal, a lot of these features like virtual consultations or live chat experiences are extra important and great to have! It’s also great when you can set up a personalized account with a website to always use to go back to, see what you left in your cart or check out what you might have saved in your wish list. On LongsJewelers.com, you can create an account, live chat us if you have any questions, set up a virtual appointment to talk to an expert face to face, create a wish list and even drop a hint to a friend or loved one if something catches your eye!