Shop safely online

Industry 4.0: Online shops are open 24/7 and deliver materials to the workshop or construction site. How safe is online shopping for tradespeople?

This article is part of the special feature on digital craftsmanship.

Purchasing materials online offers many advantages: Compared to ordering by fax, telephone, or in-person shopping, online shopping is quick and easy. All products can be quickly found in electronic catalogs, added to a virtual shopping cart, and paid for. Online shopping is even possible on the go using a smartphone – and price comparisons with competitor shops quickly reveal whether a product is a bargain. At the same time, businesses are more flexible when purchasing online because online shops don't have closing times. If a product isn't available at your preferred store, the nearest retailer is just a click away.

Nevertheless, some businesses have security concerns: They avoid shopping online because payment details could fall into the wrong hands. And even if the seller is reputable, there may be hackers who intercept bank details as they travel through the internet. Furthermore, you have to trust that online shops store all customer and payment data securely.

Use personal data sparingly

To minimize these known risks when shopping online, there are a few important basic rules. The most important: You should always provide as little personal information as possible. Even if paying by credit card is quick and easy, shopping on account or cash on delivery is more secure. This way, no one can misuse your bank details. It also eliminates other risks, such as non-delivery or incorrect delivery, because you hold the goods in your hands before paying. If payments by invoice or cash on delivery are not possible, buyer protection guarantees become more important. These are offered, for example, by independent providers such as Trusted Shops (www.trustedshops.de): Certified retailers offer a money-back guarantee in the event of any discrepancies. Buyers simply need to activate the guarantee at the end of the order process.

Another way to reduce ongoing operating costs online is through comparison portals like Check24.de or Verivox.de. These allow you to find the cheapest providers for electricity, heating oil, gas, or insurance with just a few clicks. Landline, mobile, and DSL costs can also be transparently compared online. The savings potential is high: Simply switching electricity providers can result in savings of several hundred euros per year. However, with unknown providers, it's advisable to check the experiences of other customers beforehand. These can be quickly found on Google by searching for "experiences provider name" or "problems provider name."

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Pay attention to the provider’s registered office

Anyone who wants to avoid future disputes in foreign courts should ensure that their trading partners are headquartered in Germany for every online purchase. If online shops don't have an imprint or important information is missing, this is a clear sign of a dubious dealer. Even if companies operate as "limited companies," caution is advised: If the seller goes bankrupt, the chances of a refund are slim if you paid in advance.

Another important prerequisite for secure shopping via computer, tablet, or smartphone: up-to-date virus protection, a firewall, and exclusively encrypted data transmission for every online purchase. Active encryption can be identified by the "https" prefix in the address of online shops, where the "s" stands for "secure." This makes it significantly more difficult for hackers and data thieves to intercept data.

Text: Thomas Busch / Photo: (c) domenicogelermo/123RF.com

Safe shopping

Seriosität: Is the shop's imprint accessible with just a few clicks? Mandatory information includes: company headquarters with address, managing director, and contact details via phone and email. Also important: Read the terms and conditions and privacy policy before making your first purchase (delivery conditions, hidden additional costs, etc.).

Seal of approval: Is the shop certified by an independent regulatory authority? Examples of quality seals include "Trusted Shops," "TÜV Süd Safer Shopping," "IPS-certified," or "EHI Certified Online Shop." But be careful: Dubious shops display seals without being certified. Therefore, check the authenticity on the certifying body's website before purchasing.

Experiences: Before purchasing from unfamiliar stores, research other buyers' experiences. Simply enter the store name along with the words "experiences," "reviews," "test," or "problem" into Google. If there are too many negative reviews, choose another retailer.

Responsiveness: Is the seller available in case of problems? You can check this in advance by calling or emailing them before purchasing. For example, ask about the delivery time of a product. Beware of expensive 0900 customer hotlines!

Payment: Preferably choose invoice or cash on delivery. If these options aren't available, a reputable payment service like PayPal is the next best option.

Data transfer: When entering personal information, please ensure that the transmission is encrypted. You can identify this by the letters "https" at the beginning of the internet address or by a key or lock symbol in the browser.

Documents: Archive all important documents related to your purchase, such as terms and conditions, order confirmations, shopping cart screenshots, and emails.

PC security: Always keep your operating system and browser up to date. You should also install up-to-date antivirus software and a firewall on every PC, tablet, and smartphone.