The holidays are coming again – it is that time of the year when the likes of Amazon and eBay welcome their Christmas and holiday shoppers.
Before you go all out to play Santa Claus, though, there are a couple of things to take note of. Today, we are going to be sharing tips on not just how to get the best deals, but staying safe and having a great experience while shopping online these holidays.
Create Strong Passwords
If you have to create an account before you start shopping, you should do so with a strong password. You don’t want to leave your account at the mercy of hackers who could log into your dashboard and cart away a lot of goods, leaving you to pay for it.
When creating your passwords:
- Ensure it is a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Numbers and symbols should be thrown into the mix.
- Avoid the use of passwords based on birthdays, pet names, the name of your child and other things that could easily be guessed about you.
- Limit one password to one account. Don’t attempt to repeat a password you’ve used elsewhere on your shopping account.
Avoid transacting on public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks are generally unsafe due to their lack of encryption. With the right tools, a hacker could sniff around your internet traffic and find out what you are doing.
They could use such opportunity to hijack sensitive information such as your login and credit card details. With that, there is no telling what they could do with such information.
Use a VPN
If you simply cat resist the temptation of logging on to that coffee shop Wi-Fi, we totally understand. However, make sure you don’t do so without some form of protection in place.
By protection, we mean a VPN. These pieces of software will encrypt your traffic data and make them invisible to anyone who might be sniffing around your network.
But that’s not all. You can also use a VPN to find deals and secure your payments better when you shop.
For the first part, the VPN will help you beat all forms of dynamic pricing and price discriminations common to Amazon and eBay. You would also be able to get in on promotions and discount sales happening in other regions since the VPN allows you to access the web from different locations. Finally, the fact that a hacker can’t see your internet traffic makes your payment details even more secure.
Report Credit Card frauds QUICK
Credit card frauds are ubiquitous these days. Your account might be accessed by someone other than yourself. If you any notice fishy activities on your account, report it within 2 days lest you lose your rights to a reimbursement. Check with your credit card company beforehand to understand the report procedures so you can react quickly should the unlikely event happens. If the report is made in a timely manner, your credit card company will have you covered.
Have a list
The holidays are a time of excitement, but we don’t want to get too buzzed up here. Create a shopping list of all the essential gifts and purchases you plan to make. Look the list over and over again to be sure you have what you need, then commit to it.
Once you get on Amazon and/ or eBay, ensure you keep to that list as much as you can. That is the only way to ensure you don’t over-spend and buy things you’ll regret getting in the end.
PS We hope we’re on that list too. haha.
Conclusion
And there you have it. Keep these hacks at hand and you’ll never shop amiss this season.
Guest Blog: TechWarn