What is (W)ONLINE?

• Online shopping or E-shopping is a form of electroniccommerce which allows consumers to directly buygoods or services from a seller over the Internet usinga web browser.•Traditional / retail / in-store shopping is a term usedto refer to the way of shopping where you visit storesand buy goods physically.

Why Shop Online?

• IT SAVES YOUR TIME : This is the major differentiator

between online & retail shopping. Just the thought of time

saving in today’s fast pace is so relaxing.

• IT IS CONVENIENT: You can go shopping online whenever

or wherever. You can shop sitting in your Pj’s. You don’t

have to worry about the open and close time of stores.

• YOU GET BETTER DEALS & GOOD RATES: Cheap deals and

better prices are available online, because products come

to you direct from the manufacturer or seller without

middlemen being involved.

Why Shop Online ?• YOU ARE SPOILT FOR CHOICE : The choices are amazing. One can

get several brands and products from different sellers all on one

platform.

• YOU ARE SAVED FROM HUGE CROWDS: Unless you like being

budged and pushed; shopping during weekends, peak hours,

festivals, or special events can be such a sweat.

• YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FOR PARKING: When was the last

time you found easy parking space in a mall?

Eh, still thinking…

Well, when you shop online you are saved this hassle.

Still looking for reasons?

• YOU DON’T NEED TO ALWAYS BUY NEW : One person’s junk is the

others treasure. Second hand marketplaces on the internet make it

much easier for us to buy old or used things at rock bottom prices.

OLX pe bech de.

• YOU DON’T LIKE IT, THEY TAKE IT BACK : If the product does not

match your requirement the merchant arranges for a pick-up. You

save your time, fuel, energy.

Flipkart/ Amazon /Pepperfry are known for their easy return policy.

We give you some more….•ALLIED TOTAL EXPENSES : The true culprit lies here. When we go

shopping, the event tends to turn into a family outing. We spend more

time than we planned and spend more on eating, transportation and

impulse buys.

•BUYER REVIEWS : It is easier to get feedback from customers who have

used the product you intend to buy. Especially with OEM’s releasing

newer models of HDTV’s, Triple door refrigerators, newer technologies

in AC every single day. A user review helps nail the decision.

•EASY PAYMENT OPTIONS : Online offers us an array of modes of

payment. Credit card /Debit card /Net banking/ Pay after service/ cash

on delivery / Payment wallets / Cheques

Well, it does have its’ cons

❑YOU ARE IN QUE : Waiting for your purchased item to arrive is a

downside of online shopping. But this can be fast tracked with

“same day” deliveries. Retail shopping provides you that instant

gratification!

❑YOUR PRIVACY : When you shop online, you waive certain privacy

rights to the online retailer. Many people fear disclosing personal

and private information.

•WARRANTIES & INSTALLATION : Some OEM’s do not honour

warranties for their brands purchased online. In such cases when

the product fails or needs a repair, you may need to keep your

options ready. Imagine if your new Lloyd AC stops functioning in

the first 6 months of purchase

❑WE ARE INDIANS. WE LOVE BARGAINING : Online shopping does

not offer us the liberty to bargain and we are bound to buy the

item at the quoted price.

❑DECEPTIVE IMAGERY : Images look more attractive than reality.

What may appear to have a matte texture in the picture may

actually turn out to be quite glossy and shiny in reality.

• MAKES YOU A COUCH POTATO : Online shopping and the digital

world can make one lazy.

• YOU PAY FOR THE DELIVERY: In most cases, shipping costs added

at the end, raise the price of the appliance. You may end up

buying that LED TV at a rate higher than you intended to.

❑ONLINE THEFT : Just like everything else in life, you need to be

careful while shopping online. There are people who make a living

out of stealing your information online.

❑WHEN YOU RETURN, YOU DON’T GET YOUR MONEY BACK :

When you return the item, some online merchants, do not issue a

refund but save these as credits for future purchases.

It is imperative for you to check the refund policy while you shop

online.

Tread with care

Some tit bits of experience

❑CHECK OUT YOUR SELLERS : We mean literally, conduct your own

little independent research before you buy from a seller you have

never done business with. A little internet snooping will do you

good.

❑MAKE SURE THE WEBSITE IS LEGITIMATE: Before you enter your

personal and financial information to make an online transaction,

look for signs that the site is secure.

Look for the https in your address bar. This means the site is

verified and secure. Always use the OTP feature.

❑PROTECT YOURSELF - Before providing personal or financial

information, read the website's privacy policy and terms &

conditions. Make sure you understand how your information will be

stored and used.

❑KEEP TRACK - Read your credit card statements as soon as you get

them to make sure there aren’t any unauthorized charges. If there is

a discrepancy, call your bank and report it immediately.

• BE SAFE - Use safe payment options. Credit cards are generally

the safest option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from

the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered.

Also make use of the One Time Password feature.

Some more gyan..

❑TURN IT OFF : Many peeps leave their computers running and

connected to the Internet all day and night. This gives scammers

24/7 access to your computer to install malware and commit cyber-

crimes. Switch it off as soon as not required.

❑WARRANTY & INSTALLATION CHECK - Check the installation

charges and warranty entitlements of the appliance while buying

from online portals. Most portals only deliver, the installation

needs to be paid out of pocket.

www.starranty.comStarranty.com is an online platform that allows customers to easily

purchase Extended Warranty, Maintenance, Repair Services &

Installations for all major Home Appliances.

The Starranty.com website has the following safety measures in place

1. SSL [Secure Socket Layer (SSL)] Encryption - for information transmitted

during any activity.

2. Mobile & Email Authentication based Sign-Up - This makes the system

very secure and prevents any chance of unauthorized access.

3. Data Redundancy - Data is backed up in secure environment with proper

redundancy.

4. Timed Log-Out – To protect the users account from unauthorized access,

our system is designed to terminate session automatically if extended

inactivity is detected.

Keep safety measures in mind

and continue online shopping.