How safe is it to buy art in an online store abroad?
Security is a big concern when buying anything over the Internet. Everyone gets a little nervous when they have to reveal their credit card information over the Internet. The biggest concern is “IS IT SAFE?” Well, the answer is a yes and a no.
Yes, if you do it right and you know what you’re doing. Not if you have absolutely no idea who you are giving your credit card details to.
Let me introduce you to this short list of points to remember when making an online purchase, be it from an online store abroad or any other site that offers a shopping cart.
1. Verify the nature of the product being sold. Check if you have any legal issues. If so, then you have to say a big No.
2. Now the next step is to see if the shopping cart itself is secure. A layman like me can now scream and say “how the hell am I supposed to know that?”. – Don’t worry, it’s very simple. Look for these essential points:
has. Is the transaction done through a secure connection? It’s called SSL, Secure Sockets Layer. This is offered by agencies such as 2checkout, 2CO, Escrow, paypal. If you can see any of these, take it for granted that they are safe as millions do business with them and so far everyone is happy.
b. To recognize a secure connection, look for https:// in front of the web address instead of a simple ‘S’ for http:// Obviously stands for secure.
against There is also a warning that your browser is redirecting you to a secure connection (if you have not disabled it). This would further confirm a secure transaction.
3. Now that the purchase is done. I would be very concerned if what I bought arrived in perfect condition. To make sure you do, there’s another plan, too. The purchase of each product always has to specify the way in which it is shipped and the costs involved.
4. Being UPS and FEDEX our reliable ways of delivering goods, it is always advisable not to compromise on the delivery service. In our case, an Oil Painting is carefully packaged in a strong tube container and delivered to your home.
5. Any purchase is no good unless you have a good and reasonable refund policy. Always check if you are not happy with a purchase if you can get a full refund. Most sites want you to bear the return shipping cost and the product is undamaged in the return, I think that’s a fair deal.
Armed with this short but secure list of information, I am sure you can make an informed decision and feel confident in purchasing an oil painting from an overseas dealer at cheap prices.