A Guide To Online Shopping
Shopping is our birthright. We can never get enough of it. And the fact that now we can shop online for all the coveted brands/products has only fuelled our addiction. I was totally fine with shopping at the local malls and markets until I saw what the internet has to offer, although nothing and I mean nothing beats the joy of shopping with girlfriends, bargaining and bickering all the way. And even though I’m an active shopper online I had my share of worries and doubts(still do), so I thought I’ll put my experiences together to come up with a guide to shopping online. I’m not affiliated to any of these websites and the opinions shared here are solely my own.
What You Need for Online Shopping
A secure internet connection, which is a must for any e-commerce website and a credit/debit card. But I would strongly advice on using PayPal or Google Checkout. These are the two most popular payment gateways available.
“A payment gateway is an e-commerce application service provider service that authorizes payments for e-businesses, online retailers. It is the equivalent of a physical point of sale terminal located in most retail outlets. Payment gateways protect credit card details by encrypting sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to ensure that information is passed securely between the customer and the merchant and also between merchant and the payment processor.” – From Wikipedia
A payment gateway acts as an intermediately between the buyer and the seller and thus safeguards your personal and financial identity. You can even directly connect your bank account with your PayPal account if you do not have a credit card. Although you can create an account at PayPal free of cost, they do have a few hidden charges in terms of bank commission and currency conversion which you must check.
Before Buying
Conduct an exhaustive research on the website. Might seem a tad tiresome but all you have to do is go to you tube and type the name of the website and ‘haul’. You will get to know everything about the website and the wares they sell, along with the shopper’s experience. You could alternatively do the same thing on Google as well.
Next check the Terms and Conditions and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages along with their Shipping and Return Policy on the website. These will cover everything else. Also ensure they have working telephone numbers and emails.
The most important concern while shopping online is fraud and misuse of your financial data. Check whether the website has authentication and digital security certificates. These certificates are issued by various certified authorities and the presence of one is always a good sign.
If you’re shopping for cosmetics, always search for swatches and reviews on Google and never rely on the swatches provided by the website. Most often these are misleading. Do a comparative analysis of prices, discounts and shipping rates before settling for a particular website.
Some Do’s and Don’ts for Online Shopping
• Only buy those brands and/or products which are not available except online.
• Keep a budget before filling up the shopping cart like a shopping crazed maniac. It also helps if you make a list of stuff you want before hand and sticking to the list.
• Contact customer care to get a feel of the customer service. Tell them you are interested in shopping at their website and were wondering how flexible their return policy was, or when will they restock products etc.
• Hunt for Promo Codes, Discount Coupon Codes and Ambassador Codes on Google to avail great discounts.
• Sign up for their newsletter to know about new launches, discounts and other news.
• Avoid ordering Shoes and Clothes online if you’re not sure about the international size units. Most websites have size charts but it can be a bit tricky figuring them out. If you do end up with a shoe too big then returning it becomes a big hassle not to mention expensive.
• Avoid using debit cards/bank transfers.
Pros of Shopping Online
• Variety of brands and products
• Colour Selection
• Trends
• Prices
• Frequent Discounts
Cons of Shopping Online
• Shipping rates
• Useless swatches
• Availability of sizes
• Fraud and Credit Card Theft
• Indian Postal Service(which every time bangs up my packages)
• Difficulty in returning goods
My Favourites Online Shopping Websites
• Asos
They have the best customer service ever. My package was in a very bad shape when it arrived and even though it was mostly the fault of the Indian Post, they replaced everything and reimbursed the shipping and gave me a discount coupon. They have a huge selection of products and brands and a great clearance section. Plus they are having free world wide shipping these days without any minimum spend.
Best place to shop if you’re a makeup junkie. They have a decent variety of brands ranging from the drug store to the higher end ones. They have regular discounts and have a prompt customer service.
The it destination for jewellery shopping. You get everything from celebrity inspired to vintage jewellery and the prices are great. Shipping starts at $10 and they have a flexible return policy.
I recently discovered this amazing Indian website which brings a variety of brands at awesome discounts. They have daily deals on clothing, shoes, jewellery, accessories, home decor and more with a flat shipping rate of Rs100 within India. They also ship internationally. Right now they are offering great discounts on Lakme Fashion Week Designer Wear, all the more reason to head over.
• EBay
A hotspot for everything under the sun. You can find everything old or new here. EBay is not a single entity but comprises of a number of sellers and retailers all over the world who come together under one roof, which means a gold mine for any shopper.
Also Read:
NYX Cherry Culture Shopping Experience
Shopping: Top 5 Online Makeup Shops
My First Online Cosmetic Shopping Experience
Online Makeup Shopping in India
Online Makeup Shopping: Coastal Scents Brushes Haul
Excellent article Sonia..me gonna explore Asos and Fantasy Jewelry box now!! 😀 😀 😀
me already done… :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
Amazing article Sonia 🙂
Very useful article Sonia. :thanks: :thanks:
I toh shop on ebay almost every other week…
Will check out Fantasy Jewelry box right now!!!! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
how do u make payment.. mrun??
Online banking, Nids. :))
i kno tht 😐 😐 ..mrun.. but u dont use paypal now so is it safe making payments online.. directly ?:) ?:)
They process the payment thru paisapay.. I think it’s desi version of paypal.
Once I ordered some NYX stuff on ebay, and it never reached me. I got my refund in 4 days. So i am pretty comfy wid ebay.
And on ebay india toh there is absolutely no problem!!
but paypal not working now na.. i was just trying to purchase sumthing frm ebay but count make a payment thru paypal.. :wilt: :wilt: :wilt: :wilt: any suggestions sonia.. or any1 else.. :waiting: :waiting: :waiting:
i luv F&U btw… :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: , ordered again today.. :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
i ordered too from FnU today..i ordered the gold shoes (sandal typed heeled ones) from their carlton store..cant wait to get it..have a wedding in May and I think these wud be perfect..office zindabad!! i get all my stuff delivered here else mu husband wud be throwng a fit. 😀
oh wow.. congrats aruna both for ur wedding n ur first shopping exp frm F&U :yes: :yes: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: .. u’ll easily get ur shoes within a mnth’s time.. so dont worry.. :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:
acually not my wedding. a very close cousin’s wedding but the excitment is just the same 🙂 🙂 🙂 i liked some of their kitchen stuff too..i bought the ambika pillai mascara some time back and even bought some flat chappals (which i love)
okkk.. so u too a regular F&U customer.. thts gr8.. :yahoo: :yahoo:
soon becoming.. :whistle: :whistle:
Great article Sonia….I am so much into online shopping these days, the only hitch is I am able to shop with those sites who are ready to accept debit card……I just saw that pantaloons also is online :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:
yeah, Nids….I don’t know how to shop through ebay…..they don’t accept debit card…..I need help shopping on ebay :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep: :weep:
Can someone please tel me if faces pencils are still available on fashion and you ?
no kam.. :wilt: :wilt: :wilt:
this is an apt and perfect article for IMBB..with all the ladies looting out the online stores. 😛
I have tried 99labels and they got my product in perfect condition and on time 🙂 Recently Im eyeing on so many prods in F&Y 🙂
hey sonia, wht an informative article….just the thing I wanted, being so high on online shopping these days… :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
I have tried ASOS, fashion & you & ebay till date… will defintly try the others u have mentioned here…
thnku :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:
i didn’t knoW asos ships to India… 😯 😯 Sonia, thankoo :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
howdiiii rati….. :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
u didnt knew abt asos?? :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
mai toh bhottt koooch mangwaa chuki hu ji asos se… :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
Noopur i didnt know that they ship to India. 😛 Kya kya you ahve shopped from asos?
me got skin care stuff…clothes…bag…. etc etc etc. :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
etc.etc…. :hunterwali: :hunterwali: :hunterwali: :hunterwali: :hunterwali: :hunterwali: :hunterwali:
:tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:
I didnt know about asos..they dont take shipping charges ?? :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:
Noopur is it really good ? Coz i m definitely buying stuff from their :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
so far so good ritika… no compaints wid ASOS till date… 🙂 🙂
I love Asos, FnU ….Asos has great things!! But still waiting for Credit card :((
Wow! Great article Sonia.. definitely bookmarkking this for future references… hey so you’ve bought stuff off ASOS eh? I’ve been doing window shopping there for months.. wasnt sure if they’d deliver to India! So did you buy clothes or something else?
wow superb article … ASOS HAS AMAZIN STUFF !!!
i shop from all over- – Ebay, fnU, Indiatimes shopping, the malls, my office brand store..i even find going to the grocery store exciting. will always be looking to pick up a hair color, some lotion..whatever..i shud have taken up a job as a buyer (like Rachel in friends)
Excellent Article Sonia :yes:
super useful article sonia.. :bravo: i want to buy so much stuff from ebay..i have a credit card but heard that paypal is not working in india now!! :pain: :beatup: anyone plzzz help me out!! 🙁
Sireesha,
Why not pay directly through your credit card? Doesn’t Ebay allow that?
no sanjeev bhaiya..i even contacted them.. Ebay sellers accept paypal payment only.. 😐
howdieee sanjeev…. 🙂 🙂
I’m fine Nooofooor.. I heard you sent some fattening stuff to Castor..and she is going gaga eating it.. You could have saved the courier money and sent it to us instead :pissedoff:
khihkhikhi…
just a random act of generosity… 😛 :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
i owe rati n u loadssss of chocies i know… :victory2: :victory2: :victory2: :victory2:
will send over sheeeggrhhh :toothygrin: :toothygrin: :toothygrin:
Noofuurrr… agar tumhari Jomol, Cali, Shyna, Farha etc. ne pitayi ki to mujhse mat complain karna :tongue:
bhaaagggo
:ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2: :ghost2:
Even I’m a grt online shopper. Lol. I recently got some items wen paypal decided to ditch US 🙁 very good article sonia 🙂
i still have to do shree ganesh to online shopping…………… :weep:
i am very scared of it……….
i am planning to get few stuff from cherryculture as noopur suggested it once to me for nyx :yahoo:
go for it girlllieee….. :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:
Im checking fashion and you for good men’s sunglasses- wanna gift one to my bro
Hes in bangalore too
Hi..DOes any one know where can I buy Nine WEst/ ALdo/ Charles and Keith online (besides ASOS) deliver to India…there are absolutely none of these shops in Bangalore. So online is my only hope for now.
Micelle for aldo you can check their website..they deliver in india…http://www.aldoshoes.com
for nine west…ther is no online site that sells it…but if you want other brands you can check out http://shopatmajorbrands.com & charles & keith are still in the process of launching their online store….I hope this is helpful to you… :))
hi…i have a question regarding paypal…i dont have a credit card..as you all know its very difficult for a student to get a credit card in india..so can i use my bank account for making purchases online..or do i first have to transfer money to paypal account then make payment…please reply asap i wanna order few skin care products
anyone??????????????