Black Friday sale: Top tips to keep in mind while shopping online

We’re at that time of the year again when it’s raining ‘deals’ and ‘offers’. But navigating online shopping can sometimes feel like treading through a digital minefield. After all, one wrong click and you’re far down the rabbit hole of a carefully curated scam.

But what if we tell you there’s a way to turn into a tech-savvy ninja that has the hack to evade most, if not all online scams, this holiday season? Brush up on these online safety tips that can help you make the most of the upcoming Black Friday sale.

Top tips to practice safer online shopping

We have some go-to tips you should keep handy when shopping for anything online.

1. Shop from trusted vendors only
2. Avoid offers that are ‘too good to be true’
3. Read those terms and conditions
4. Avoid stores that ask for a lot of information
5. Check out other reviews
6. Look for a COD option
7. Only opt for authentic gift card sources
8. Check shipping and return policies
9. Don’t use your debit card

1. Shop from trusted vendors only

While this may seem like an obvious point to begin with, there are several fraudulent vendors posing online as genuine. And simply because a website looks polished, doesn’t mean it is legit. Stick to well-known brands and retailers that offer secure connectivity. If you must venture into an unfamiliar territory, make sure you do your homework before swiping that card.

A good thumb rule is to look for clear contact details or support information and an ‘https://’ in the address bar. You can also check for an established social media presence, which is a straightforward indicator of a genuine website.

2. Avoid offers that are 'too good to be true'

Cybercriminals love to play the temptation card. See the latest iPhone 16 at a whopping 60 per cent discount? Or see a ‘limited time deal’ on gaming laptops that you don’t want to miss out on? Red flags! Any deal that looks too good to be true probably is.

Scammers prey on human psychology and leverage it for attractive ‘bargains’. Whether it’s the urgency of buying something you were coincidentally looking for a couple of days ago or instilling the classic ‘FOMO’ in your head, extreme discounts are a great manipulation tactic.

ALSO READ: What is ‘quishing,’ the latest cyber-scam you need to know about?

The best way to tackle this is by looking up the original price of the product or comparing with other e-commerce websites. What are other brands offering? What does social media say about the incredible deal? And if something doesn’t feel right, don’t feel bad about dropping it.

3. Read those terms and conditions

While terms and conditions are just about as exciting as watching paint dry, there’s no denying they’re crucial. Ignoring them, especially while shopping online, could give scammers a free pass on your personal information. You could be missing out on several potential loopholes, including hidden subscriptions that could drain your wallet, surprise fees and difficult return policies.

Instead of skimming through the paragraph, take your time reading between the lines. This is especially helpful if you’re browsing a website, you don’t really trust yet. A simple ‘Ctrl+F’ can also help you check if there are any buzzwords in the paragraph, such as ‘price’, ‘subscription’, or ‘cancellation’. After all, the ‘I Agree’ button is nothing less than a legal handshake.

4. Avoid online stores that ask for a lot of information

Legitimate online stores will typically ask you for basic shipping and payment information to process your order. Anything other than this, however, should raise concerns. For instance, if you find a website prying into your family lineage or banking history, you probably want to give it a second glance.

Look out for websites asking for unnecessary personal information, or most importantly, social security numbers. Any other detail that is not directly linked to your purchase should be labelled suspicious. Cybercriminals love collecting data, and building profiles, for various identity theft opportunities. It’s best to treat your personal information like currency that you wouldn’t give away for free.

5. Check out online reviews

Online reviews are usually a solid giveaway of a website’s credibility. If a website is genuine, you should find a healthy mix of good and bad reviews on the platform as well as Google. An expert scammer will also engineer fake reviews to make their website look authentic.

Fake reviews are suspiciously perfect and offer 5-star ratings. They also are posted in rapid succession. On the contrary, honest reviews come with personality, are detailed, have pictures, and sometimes, they also proudly flaunt bad grammar! But don’t worry, as all of that is supposed to tell you that they’re real.

6. Look for a COD option

Cash on Delivery is a financial firewall that can save you from losing money online. This is also a sure-shot trust test for vendors that you haven’t interacted with. COD minimises the risk as you don’t have to enter your payment details on the platform and have to force a seller to prove their legitimacy.

ALSO READ: 10 online holiday scams and how to avoid them

Sometimes, various websites also charge a little extra for COD. But think of it as a one-time investment that allows you to see your purchased product first. Once you do receive your order, make it a point to either film an unboxing video or check for the quality and condition in front of the delivery executive. While plenty of businesses prefer online transactions, it’s always a good sign if it offers COD as an option, to the least.

7. Only opt for authentic gift card sources

You may have come across one too many websites offering a ‘free gift card’ to those landing on them. But the digital marketplace is often riddled with traps designed to lure you in unsuspectingly. Your best bet is to opt for gift cards that come right from the trusted website’s source. For instance, a Croma e-gift card is best purchased online from croma.com, or from a Croma store near you.

Most of the time, a fake website offering you a gift card is just another sly way to get into your account details. It’s best not to make purchases via an unidentified source and also to keep all the receipts possible.

8. Check shipping and return policies

Shipping and return policies are often only given a glance, but looking over them is like going on a road trip without your map. Shipping policies aren’t just about when your package will reach you — they also go over additional hidden charges that are otherwise in fine print. For instance, is there a handling fee? Are there extra charges if you choose rushed deliveries?

Similarly, return policies also play a crucial role when you’re online shopping, as a lot of cybercriminals will refuse to get in touch once the wrong product has been delivered to you. How long do you have to return your products? Does the seller charge a fee to send the product back? Some online stores also make returning a product extremely difficult and the users end up making peace with the faulty product instead.

The best retailers offer a hassle-free return and shipping policy for most of their products. Of course, that is provided you have reasonable claims and follow their timelines!

9. Don't use your debit card

Your debit card is usually a convenient, go-to mode of purchase when you’re shopping online — but it may not always be a good idea to opt for it. If you’re not shopping on a trusted website, you may end up giving hackers a direct inlet into your primary bank account. This often also means they can drain more than just the purchase amount, leaving you with nothing for the time being.

Credit cards today offer multiple layers of protection. For one, they don’t grant anyone direct access to your account. Secondly, in case of a fraudulent charge, you always have the option of reversing your purchase — this is, of course, if your card is secured against it.

Moreover, credit cards also offer online security, have a limit set and sometimes also provide extended warranties on products you purchase. Alternatively, you can also opt for UPI payments. That said, there’s nothing a hundred per cent secure and doing a background check should always be at the top of your list.

While these tips are great, online shopping doesn’t have to be a stressful activity. At Croma, we offer safe and reliable deals for our Black Friday sale, making us a one-stop shop electronics destination that you trust.