It’s true. You can buy almost anything online these days: food, holidays, clothes, gadgets ... the list goes on and on.
However, for something so convenient and easy, there’s bound to be a few hidden traps. You’ve probably heard of the horror stories: bogus websites, unauthorised bank transactions, dodgy goods and unwanted emails.
If you want to avoid being ripped-off or just making a bad transaction, read on!
Information on this page includes:
> What could go wrong?
> Taking precautions
> Getting help
> Useful links
What could go wrong?
Shopping online can run the risk of some shonky things happening, but if you know what to look out for you'll have a better chance of a painless purchase. Things to be aware of include:
- Unsecure transactions - Using a website that doesn’t properly protect your private details (e.g. credit card information)
- Unauthorised transactions - Spending on your credit card that you didn’t approve
- Dodgy goods - Receiving goods that don’t match the image or description from the online store, or goods that have stopped working or were faulty when they arrived
- Privacy lost - Having personal details such as your name, home address, mobile number and email address made available to third-party marketing groups and spammers
- Losing out on safeguards - Buying things overseas or online runs the risk of losing some of the automatic protections that are outlined in Australian law
The rest of this page has advice and tips on ways to ensure that none of the above things happen to you.
Taking precautions
Forewarned is forearmed. If you know what to watch out for and how to deal with it when you find it, your online shopping experience will be a much happier one. Here's some advice on how to deal with the most common problems when it comes to shopping online.
Identity
It's a good idea to check to see the online store has provided some ID, like:
- Business registration details (ABN/ACN)
- Street address
- Phone number
- Email address
If you feel you need to confirm who the business you are dealing with are, contact them. If you don't hear back from them, then don't buy anything from them.
Security
You should only ever make payments over the internet if you can be sure the site is secure. Secure sites use the convention HTTPS (the ‘S’ stands for Secure Sockets Layer or SSL) on the address of their payment pages, instead of HTTP. If the address only has HTTP in its address, it is not secure.
For example, this address indicates a secure site:
https://www.shoponlineforexcellentbargains.com.au
Whereas this one might not be secure, and could run the risk of passing your payment details on to other people:
http://www.shoponlineforexcellentbargains.com.au
The difference is subtle, but important to look for.
Another indication of a secure site is something like a padlock icon or a green shading around the website's mini-icon in the address bar. Have a quick look around your browser for details along those lines. If you double-click on these icons, you can check out info about the website’s security.
If there's no padlock or green highlight, or "HTTPS", or other visible indication of security, the site is probably not secure.
Price
Make sure the price is all inclusive and takes into account costs such as:
- Delivery
- Insurance
- Taxes
- Credit card charges
Keep a record
Keep copies of any documentation (forms/confirmation pages/emails) that outline the details of what you have purchased. This information will become valuable if you need to clarify something or raise a dispute.
Warranty
Even without the additional warranties offered by companies (e.g. a one-year manufacturer’s warranty on a TV), all goods and services purchased from Australian companies are covered by a "statutory" warranty. This means you have legal rights no matter what! Check out the ACCCs factsheet on warranties (new window) for more information.
Insurance
If you’re purchasing delicate or valuable goods, it might be worth having them insured for damage or loss during delivery. The site you are purchasing from may offer information about how to purchase postal insurance as part of its terms and conditions, shipping costs or FAQ.
Returns policy
Let’s say the T-shirt doesn’t fit or the Lamborghini is left-hand drive not right. What is the returns policy? Any legitimate online store will state their returns policy on their website.
Always check the returns policy before buying!
Privacy policy
Make sure the website you are dealing with has a privacy policy. Most online stores will ask if you want to receive further contact from them, but some websites leave it to you to opt out (this normally involves un-checking a box on the confirmation page).
Internet auctions
Know your rights before competing in an online auction. Make sure you:
- Understand the terms and conditions
- Read the privacy policy
- Check out the seller's details
For more information on internet auctions, visit the ACCC's Online Auctions page (new window).
Overseas buying
When buying goods from overseas, there are a few things to be aware of:
- Make sure it’s legal to import whatever it is you’re buying (check out "Importing goods", below, for more info)
- Find out what the Australian dollar cost will be (exchange rates change from day to day)
- Double-check the delivery cost and understand what your rights are as a foreign customer
For more about what to look out for when shopping overseas, check out the ACCC's Buying from overseas page (new window).
Getting help
If something does go wrong with things you've bought online, you don't just have to suck it up. There may be a way to get your money back, or to get your goods replaced. Here's a few things to consider.
Dodgy goods or poor service
The good news is that shopping online with an Australian company entitles you to the same rights as if you visited a "real" store.
First, you should contact the vendor to try and fix the problem (get a refund, credit or exchange). If that doesn’t work, try ACCC’s page Online shopping - when things go wrong (new window) for lots of handy advice on how to deal with the problem.
Scams
If you think you’ve been scammed or have spotted a scam, contact SCAMwatch (new window), a Federal Government website aimed at stopping web scams.
Scamwatch also has a list of current known scams to watch out for, so it's worth visiting just to find out about current dodgy goings-on online.
Someone else spending your money
If someone you don’t know has made unauthorised transactions on your account, you should contact your bank and have them investigate. In most cases of fraud, credit card companies should be able to reimburse you for any fraudulent transactions.
If the transaction came from a company you know and trust and you think they’ve made a mistake, you could also contact them and organise a charge-back or credit to your account.
More information about credit card scamming and skimming can be found at ScamWatch's Credit card scams page (new window).
Unwanted emails
If you forgot to opt out of receiving emails from an online store, you should be able to unsubscribe at any time (normally by following a link at the bottom of the email).
If you’re receiving spam, check out the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Spam, spam, spam... page (new window) for tips on how to get rid of it.
Importing goods
If you’re unsure whether you’re allowed to import something, like food or rare items, check with the Australian Customs Service (new window) first.
Useful links
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) - online shopping (new window)
Information on dealing with disputes, internet auctions, scams, website trustmarks and GST.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) - Online purchases (new window)
Information about your rights when shopping online and what to do if it goes wrong.
