Does online shopping overwhelm you? If yes, you are one amongst the thousands of people who want to dive into the world of e-commerce shopping but are scared because of the large number of frauds, quality issues and anticipation regarding the products. But don’t worry. Online shopping is neither difficult nor does it have to make you anxious.
Here is my simple and easy-to-follow guide to online shopping that I am sure that you will follow.
Decide how you want to buy
This is the most crucial step in your online buying journey. Contrary to popular belief, there are numerous ways of buying online. First, there are e-commerce sites like Amazon which help you buy thousands of products from a variety of sellers. You simply fill your cart with the things you like, quite like shopping at a mall, pay for them and then the things get delivered to your doorstep.
The second option is to go for sites like eBay, which offer you auctioning services. You bid for the thing you want, and if your bid is accepted, you get the product. Your third option is a coupons or deals-only site that provides you daily deals or shopping coupons and helps you buy specific things at a discounted price on a particular day.
These days, social shopping is also becoming popular where websites like Facebook and Instagram are being used to promote businesses that sell directly to customers. All you have to do is send a message to the seller, make the payment, provide your address and the package is delivered.
It’s important for sites like these to have adequate order fulfilment capabilities. For the customer, ease of selecting and purchasing an order is the most important. Because of this, many e-commerce platforms outsource their fulfilment and logistical services through sites like https://www.shapefulfilment.com/fulfilment/uk-fulfilment/ and others, to make the process more easy and effective for the customer.
Decide your payment option
You could pay via debit or credit cards and some shopping options let you use PayPal and other payment service providers as well. A growing number of websites also accept digital currency payments. Some people prefer to use one-time-use virtual cards that help maintain their privacy as well. You can choose any payment method that you are comfortable with.
Niche website or all-in-ones?
You should also decide if you want to buy only a specific product or brand or dive into a wider selection of products before buying online. You must also decide if you want to buy local or get a more streamlined nationwide or international experience. For instance, a website like Amazon may have a wider range of products, but many of them tend to be quite generic and poorly made, which makes it a gamble for the unsure buyer. On the other hand, there are local brands that provide a more focused approach, wherein they may deliver only within the country, but they provide reliable quality products. A great example of the latter could be Luxo Living, which can offer the opportunity to Buy outdoor rugs online from any location in Australia.
Decide your budget
Going shopping without a budget in mind is a surefire way to wreak havoc on your finances. It would be better to decide your budget in advance. In addition to this, you should visit deals and coupon websites often and check if there are any offers that can help reduce the price of the product that you wish to buy. Apply all the necessary promotions on the purchase and bring the price as low as possible. Checking out price comparison websites like OnlyReviews.com is another great way to ensure you don’t overspend.
Figure out how you’d like your product to be delivered
Sometimes you find an amazing product at an amazing price, but then you’re faced with several delivery options that make the product seem like less value for money. We’ve all been there. You have lots of products you’re excited for in your basket and the moment you reach the checkout point you’re amazed by how much these companies are charging for shipping. Sometimes, there are options for free delivery, but this can also entail risks. If you’re ordering from a company you don’t know very well or if you’re ordering from a company that is far away from your home address, it might be wise to choose tracked shipping to ensure that you receive your product. It’s always a good idea to conduct thorough research on the website. For example, let’s consider a situation where you are a student shopping for clothing and jewelry on heavily discounted online stores like Temu for a special occasion. In such cases, it would be a good idea to check temu shipping times before making the purchase. This way, you can be assured that the product will reach you within the expected time-frame. If the products don’t reach you within the estimated time, then you can contact their customer service to gain better clarity on the reason behind any delay.
Alternatively, you might also want to investigate subscription services that make it easier to get free delivery. For example, Amazon Prime give you the option to pay for unlimited one day delivery, some products will even be delivered in a matter of hours! If you regularly order from amazon, this can be incredibly cost effective. However, if you normally order from a range of different sites you should try to avoid this as these subscriptions are designed to ensure that you’ll purchase from them more regularly. If you’re a fan of checking lots and lots of sites you should be cautious about investing in these subscriptions.
Now that you have found the products you were looking for decided your payment methods and the kind of website you need to visit, simply place your order and wait for doorstep delivery.
