E-commerce is constantly growing and COVID-19 has contributed to the acceleration of this process because, in order to survive, many companies have had to move from the offline world to the online world.
By its very nature, an e-commerce platform collects the sensitive data of each user: it is therefore essential to be careful of online scams.
Technology favors the shopping experience, creating an increasingly streamlined environment and process.
But how to defend yourself from online scams?
Purchase only on sites protected with HTTPS protocol
Buying a secure SSL certificate is essential for the security of your e-commerce: protect the data and the connection by browsing with the HTTPS protocol , which assigns the padlock to websites considered safe. An obligatory choice, especially when dealing with sensitive information and online payments .
Google itself has inserted the presence of HTTPS as a ranking factor from an SEO perspective : if a user browses without a secure protocol, Google displays the “Not Secure” label on their browser.
Prefer official sites
We recommend that you choose official and trustworthy sites that convey trust. In general, at first glance you can check the elements that are present in all online sales portals, such as the VAT number, the conditions of sale, the social contacts and, fundamentally, the section dedicated to user reviews.
Obviously these are subjective factors that do not guarantee the certainty of the supplier’s reliability: they are certainly factors that affect professionalism.
Research user reviews and feedback
Returning to the previous point, reviews and customer feedback are essential for any business.
It is only through reviews that new users can get an idea of your service, support and reliability.
Place widgets on the homepage, use stars for ratings and text for spontaneous opinions , where customers can provide more insight into your strengths.
E-commerce is an online shop: reviews can represent the differentiating element in the choice between you and your competitor. Remember that users need to feel confident, to know that they can rely on you and your professional competence.
Choose the right payment method
Choosing the correct payment method is a determining factor in avoiding fraud attempts. It is obviously not recommended to use credit or debit cards linked to the current account, preferring prepaid cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
We recommend that you follow these simple tips to protect the website and users from possible online scams, aiming to create an excellent customer journey within the site.
