How Not to Get Scammed When Purchasing Online: Part 2

Avoid Online Scams Part 2

Your intuition is your best source when making a purchase online. While you may know exactly what you want to buy, you don’t always know which website is best to complete the sale. In our Online Scams Part 2 blog series, we’re focusing on different aspects of the online buying process to help you avoid the scammers.

In our first blog post of this series, “How Not to Get Scammed When Purchasing Online – Part 1,” we advised you to do your research before purchasing from an online retailer. The key takeaway: buy the seller before you buy the item.

Along with that same vein, Online Scams Part 2 points out a few more tips to help you drill down into who you’re buying from before you hand over personal information.

Get In Touch

In the event that you have questions about the item you wish to purchase, get in touch with the company first. Make sure there is a valid phone number and/or email address for customer service. Is the representative friendly and helpful on the phone? Do they provide knowledgeable information about the product you are interested in? A voice on the other end of the phone will help reassure you that you’re dealing with a legitimate company and not an online scam.

Ask Questions

Many companies just focus on the bottom line and simply selling product. It’s important to have a list of questions ready to ask a company when making the final decision to buy. This can help you evaluate how friendly and responsive the company is. Consider the company’s location. Ask how long it will take to get the product, and how the company guarantees authenticity. Will they insure the product? Also, do you need to sign for it upon arrival? It’s your right to ask as many questions as you wish in order to verify that the company is legitimate and selling genuine products. This helps ensure they care about more than just dollars in their pockets.

Test Their Knowledge

The online retailer you’re considering a purchase from should be extremely knowledgeable about its products. If not, and if you can’t get clear answers to your questions, you could be dealing with an online scam. Employees of the company should respond quickly and with confidence. They should have all the answers you need, whether it’s asking how to care for the item or inquiring about how the company will handle a broken or lost item. At BeckerTime.com, we have watch experts who know every detail about our products. We guarantee the authenticity of our preowned Rolex and luxury watch selections, and we take the time to educate our customers on every aspect of our products. In fact, that’s one of our favorite parts of the job. We want our customers to know what they’re buying and love their BeckerTime purchases.

Do your research

Sound familiar from our last blog post? Well, it’s that important. The company should act in a professional manner and always respond to phone calls or emails within a timely manner. If your gut is telling you something is off, do more research. Unfortunately, fake businesses do exist and there are people out there who will waste no time scamming you. If you’re unsure about a company, look to Facebook groups, forums, and other websites that verify companies, such as the Better Business Bureau. Look for news articles that talk about the company and its products. BeckerTime.com, and our CEO Matthew Becker, are regularly featured in articles, ranging from Inc. Magazine and CEOWORLD to Luxury Daily and Playboy Radio. Don’t ever be afraid to do more research and ask others for opinions on their experiences.

Expect peace of mind

A company should focus on you, the customer! You are the priority for a lasting relationship. A company should always have a description of their warranty for their products or refund policies. The refund policy should be easy to read and straightforward. There should always be a description of shipping fees, processing fees, and any other fees associated with purchasing the product. In short, you should know exactly what your total cost will be. Also, you should be clear what your options are if the product does not turn out to be all you hoped. You need to be able to purchase the product with peace of mind. BeckerTime.com is proud to provide a full 30-day money-back guarantee to give our customers the peace of mind they deserve.

Our Online Scams Part 2 series recommends that even if you don’t have questions before the purchase, you still want to do your due diligence to ensure there are easy ways to reach customer service, in the event there is a problem with shipping, the product, or anything else.

Our BeckerTime experts are here to help ensure you find the perfect watch at the right price when you’re in the market for a preowned Rolex or other luxury watch. View our authentic selection of preowned luxury timepieces online today at BeckerTime.com, or give us a call at (817) 503-2334. You know we’ll answer the phone!