Is it safe to shop online in India? Top 10 Questions Answered
Everyone is curious about online shopping in India. Today, there are 100’s of websites in India selling everything and reaching the consumers in the farthest places in India. But most people are worried about spending money online.
Here are the Top 10 Questions on Online Shopping in India:
- Which websites can be trusted?
- Is the product genuine?
- Why is the product cheap?
- Is my money safe?
- What if my credit card details are stolen?
- How to track my order?
- What if I don’t get the product?
- What if the courier company steals my product?
- What if the product is not as described?
- What are the good websites to shop online in India?
Let’s answer each of these questions:
1. Which websites can be trusted?
Answer: There are some big names in the e-commerce industry which can be trusted due to their huge online presence, customer support and worldwide recognition. Websites like Amazon.in, Flipkart, eBay.in, Snapdeal, Jabong, Myntra, Tata Cliq are some big names in online shopping. These are mostly marketplaces where lots of sellers register with the e-commerce company and sell products through their website. Then there are niche websites like 1mg, Chumbak, AJIO which specializes in one category of products like medicines, fashion etc. These website stock & sell products directly. More likely you will have a smooth transaction with such niche websites. When it comes to marketplaces, you need to be cautious.
Check the following:
- The website should have a good social media presence, with regular updates.
- Check and buy products where the seller has a good rating
- Check if products are stocked by the e-commerce company. For example Amazon Fullfilled, Flipkart Assured, Snapdeal Gold. Products with these labels can be trusted.
2. Is the product genuine?
Answer: If it’s a niche brand website, you can trust the products to be genuine. For marketplaces, check for the seller ratings and if the product is fullfilled directly by the e-commerce company.
3. Why is the product cheap?
Answer: There are multiple reasons. e-commerce companies have lots of funding and use that money to acquire new customers by selling products at cheap price and offering discounts. Another reason is the fact that these companies don’t need big retail stores to sell the product. Thus saving on infrastructure costs.
4. Is my money safe?
Answer: If you are making the payment online, make sure the website has a “https://” in the browser URL/Link. In case you are worried making payments online, go for Cash on Delivery. In today’s world, it’s safest to use any of the Digital Wallets like Paytm, Freecharge. They have the e-commerce companies registered with them. If you make the payment online and don’t recieve your product, contact the company via all channels possible – phone, email, social media. This will help you present your case better to the consumer forum.
5. What if my credit card details are stolen?
Answer: In a rare case, if your credit card details are stolen, you will only get to know if there’s a transaction reported. Immediately inform your credit card company.
6. How to track my order?
Answer: All websites offer order tracking once it’s shipped via a courier partner like BlueDart, DTDC or India Post. You can use the AWB Number or Reference Number on the courier partner website to track your shipment.
7. What if I don’t get the product?
Answer: Inform the customer care via phone or email. Try to get a response quickly. Also check with the local courier office or the post office.
8. What if the courier company steals my product?
Answer: Inform the customer care that the courier partner has not delivered the product yet. They will track it down.
9. What if the product is not as described?
Answer: You can always return the product and get your money back. If the product is fullfilled by the website, they will come and pick up the product from your delivery address. In case of online payments, you should get a refund back within 7 days. In case of cash on delivery, the refund will be processed into your back account.
10. What are the good websites to shop online in India?
Answer: Websites like Amazon.in, Flipkart, eBay.in, Snapdeal, Jabong, Myntra, Tata Cliq are some big names in online shopping.
