Top 7 Tips to Make Shopping for Women's Clothing Online Safe

Online clothes shopping can be fun and worry-free. However, if you find yourself having second thoughts on clicking that 'buy' button, then it's best that you put your fears at ease first. After all, where's the fun in shopping if you're full of doubts, right?

So to help you make your first online shopping experience worry-free, we've gathered seven of the best practices you could use.

1. Make sure your computing environment is safe and secure. 

By this we mean your computer isn't infected with any malicious software applications and you're using a secure internet connection. Your firewall should be on and don't make any online transactions over a public internet network. Yes, the Wi-Fi connection at Starbucks or at your favorite local café is only great for updating your Instagram or posting on Facebook and never for making transactions online.

2. Know the online boutique and its reputation. 

If a particular online boutique for women's fashion is constantly on your radar and you keep hearing positive raves from your friends, family or work colleagues, then it's a legit one.

On the other hand, if you're having a hard time distinguishing a scam web store from a legit one, you might want to check out this helpful blog.

3. Create a unique password.

Photo by lekkyjustdoit courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

One of the common pitfalls a lot of online shoppers make is that they use the same password for all of their accounts, be it banks, emails, etc. When you create an account that involves financial transactions, like for shopping, it's best to use a password that's strong and unique. Simply put, don't use your birth dates or any personal info as your password.

4. Read the store's shipping policy.

Photo by Stuart Miles courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

Shipping fees can be expensive, especially if you're buying internationally. To lower the cost, opt for a store that offers free shipping. Also, be sure to read the delivery period so you know when to expect your purchase. This will save you from disappointments of delayed arrival especially if you have something planned for it.

5. Check if the store is using a secure payment service.

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If you're not comfortable paying for your purchases via credit card directly, then check if the store uses a reputable online payment service. Third-party payment processors can minimize the risk of fraudulent transactions, especially from scammers. An example of this is  Paypal wherein they use a secure system whenever you use your credit card to buy something.

6. Avoid stores that ask more than the basics.

If an online boutique asks for more than the basic information necessary for shipping and confirmation, close the site and walk away. Chances are that site could just be a mask for identity thieves to steal your information. Most online stores would only ask for your shipping address, name, contact number, e-mail address and payment method. Asking for more than these is already an alarm bell that you should listen to.

7. Find the 'S' in the "Http://"

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When you reach the page asking for payment details, check the web address and see if it starts with an "https:". The 's' there means that the information that passes through is secure and encrypted, protecting your data from any scammers and phishers.

Now that you have these top seven tips to safer online shopping experience, you should be able to put your worries at ease. Do you have other ways to tips to share for our first-time online shoppers? Please share them at the comments section below.

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