Adventures in online shopping: How to enjoy it safely

We’ve all been there: the late-night doom-scrolling that somehow turns into a shopping spree. As you flick through your Instagram or Facebook feed, there it is, the “shop now” or “swipe up” button alongside a product that, in the early hours of the morning, seems like the perfect product.

In the cold light of day though, all may not be as well as it seemed. Perhaps the retailer is looking a little less legitimate, or that product isn’t quite what you thought it was. You hold your breath and wait for the item to arrive, promising you’ll never buy anything else from social media until the next time.

Social commerce is becoming the new normal. According to research from Visa, one in four people in Ireland are now using social apps to shop. More importantly, almost half of those surveyed said they planned to shop this way in the future, indicating that companies need to look at their social media presence if they want to tap into the latest shopping trends.

Visa found that 41 per cent of shoppers will only buy from influencers who are transparent about ads and what they gain from it

It’s no surprise that the younger age group are leading the way on this one. Visa’s research found 35 per cent of people in that age group are already “swipe up shopping”, with clothing and accessories the most popular purchases.

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On platforms such as Instagram, influencers have been driving swipe-up purchases for some time. The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland has guidelines for the flagging of commercial partnerships – both partnerships with brands and commercial content that is being created by influencers for their own products and services.

It’s not just the ASAI that is watching though. Building trust is important to shoppers too; Visa found that 41 per cent of shoppers will only buy from influencers who are transparent about ads and what they gain from it, such as affiliate commission from the sale.

Sponsored content

Research published by the ASAI earlier this year found 42 per cent of those surveyed felt influencers were more responsible with advertising than they were three years ago, and social media users were also very familiar with the hashtags used to mark sponsored or commercial content.

While the Visa research found the younger age group was leading the way in shopping on social apps, there is an increasing number of 35-54 year olds shopping through social apps, while the over-55s are using social media to shop for everything from clothing and homewares to electronics.

Overall, it’s a growing market, and one that the social media companies are actively developing. Pinterest, for example, recently announced a wider partnership with Shopify that would allow merchants using the ecommerce platform to get their products on Pinterest and in front of millions of potential buyers through shoppable “Product Pins”. If you’ve expressed an interest in a product before on Pinterest, sellers could potentially “re-engage” with you, which seems like a nicer way of saying you’ll see some targeted ads.

It’s a way of tapping into the new trends that the pandemic has supercharged in recent months. Shopify’s Future of Commerce 2021 study found 84 per cent consumers surveyed have shopped online since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest seems primed for what Shopify calls social commerce. It’s popular with hobbyists and shoppers who build up boards on everything from hairstyles and wedding ideas to crafts and potential clothing purchases – things that are rarely branded. A search on Pinterest is less targeted than online shoppers would usually be and, as a result, sellers have begun to create the closest thing some of us can get to a browse in the aisles at the moment.

‘Retail ecosystem’

“Small and medium businesses in particular have the opportunity to thrive on Pinterest because they connect with consumers in a positive environment when they are early in their decision-making journey and full of purchase intent,” said Bill Watkins, global head of mid-market and small business sales at Pinterest. “With the retail ecosystem profoundly evolving over the past year, we’re committed to supporting merchants of all sizes by providing them with quick and easy access to our shopping features without the need to edit code or deploy resources so they can inspire consumers for what to do or buy next.”

For buyers who have embraced swipe-up shopping, more than half say the convenience and speed of the transaction appeals to them; a quarter of shoppers surveyed said the ability to support local businesses was key.

It’s not all positive experiences with this new shopping experience though. If you’ve bought something online and regretted it, you aren’t alone. Visa’s research found that 19 per cent of those who have swiped up and bought have buyer’s remorse, while more than a quarter have said they have bought something without thinking it through.

Fraud is also a massive concern with shoppers, and those adopting the “swipe up” marketplace are no different. According to Visa, 75 per cent of shoppers are worried about fraud, with more than three-quarters checking up on the company or brand before buying, and two-thirds checking out reviews.

Search online for reviews, both positive and negative, of the business to make sure they are genuine

Where there is money to be made, scammers will follow, and social commerce is no exception. If something looks too good to be true, it usually is. That advice applies to most things in life, so before you buy be a little cynical.

So what steps can you take to make sure you social shopping spree isn’t something you regret?

Research seller

Don’t blindly swipe up and spend. Regardless of whether your purchase is being made through a link on social media or through your web browser, know who you are doing business with.

If a site is unfamiliar, do some research before you hand over your details. Watch out for sites that look familiar but have been altered in some way – a misspelling or a swap of a letter for a digit – that could indicate a scam site.

Search online for reviews, both positive and negative, of the business to make sure they are genuine. Trustpilot is usually a good source of information on websites and their trustworthiness. The company uses technology to spot scammers, from IP addresses to behavioural analysis, and verifies reviews that may otherwise seem fake.

Of course it’s inevitable that scammers will try to slip some fake reviews past its safeguards, but it can give you a good indication of what type of business you’re signing up with.

Security of site

At this point, it almost goes without saying that every site taking your financial details should be secure. How do you know? If you are on a laptop browser, you can see the padlock icon clearly in the address bar, and the “https” at the start of the address. On mobile or when you are swiping up to shop, that may not be as clear.

If in doubt, copy the link to your browser on your mobile device or laptop and check the address bar. If it’s not secure, don’t hand over your card details.

Payment method

When it comes to shopping online, the same rules always apply: use a method of payment that gives you some protection.

That could be your Visa or Mastercard credit card, where you have some recourse if an item doesn’t arrive or isn’t as described. If your bank offers a virtual card that can be destroyed after a single use, that will afford you even more protection; even if the seller is a fraud or there is a data breach, the card information is useless for any further transactions. Fintech Revolut offers single-use virtual cards with your account, so you need never hand over your real card number to an online retailer again.

Paypal will also give you some protection, particularly if you are buying off a marketplace, and your item isn't quite what you expected. The buyer protection could even help you with the shipping costs for returns. Just make sure to contact them within the appropriate time limit – you have 180 days to raise a dispute with the seller – and follow it closely.

Wary of wifi

We’ve all taken advantage of free wifi hotspots when out and about, but think twice about what you’re doing. If you are sending sensitive data over an unsecured wifi connection, it could be intercepted by scammers. So that online shopping spree while you are having your coffee in the sun could cost you more than you realise. If in doubt, use your own data connection, or invest in a virtual private network such as Nord VPN or Express VPN to help keep your web traffic private.

Stay up to date

Make sure your security software on whatever device you are using is up to date. That means installing potentially vital OS updates as soon as practical, and making sure your antivirus defences are updated. Prevention is better than cure, and closing off any software vulnerabilities will help keep any unwanted malware out.