Online Buyers: Don’t Be Careless!
Posted by Mike | Filed under MiscellaneousWe all know that we can’t just give our trust to anyone. But sometimes, when we’re dealing with online transactions, we tend to forget all about the risks of getting scammed and losing money. I will share an online experience and some tips with you because I know that some of you are going into a shopping frenzy this December (for Christmas… DUH!).
(Image source: http://customersrock.wordpress.com/)
My Experience
A couple of days ago, I was looking for some cheap WordPress themes to buy. Why? I told you before that WordPress themes can bring a lot of money, right? Anyway, I encountered a theme seller at the DigitalPoint Forums, and he was selling a unique and beautiful theme for only $10. I was like “What in the world? $10 only? Gimme your PayPal ID!”. And so, I sent him the money and I waited for the theme…
Then I received the freakin’ awesome and cool WordPress theme via e-mail, and I was ready to sell some sponsored links! I thought that I could make a huge profit… But no. I figured out that the theme was a FREE THEME, and that the guy who sold it to me was not the owner of the theme. What the…!? I know $10 is not that big, but it’s still money. Besides, you can’t have $1,000 without $1. 
So I sent a message to the guy. I told him that I found out that the theme is for free and I would like my money back. He kept on denying the fact, and insisted that the theme was unique and cannot be downloaded from any website. Guess what I did next? I opened a PayPal dispute. I think the theme seller got scared. He gave me back the $10 and immediately sent me a message saying that he issued a refund and he asked me to close the dispute.
Phew… I got my money back. I’m safe! But what if he didn’t issue a refund? Then it would be my first time to lose my money online because of a scammer.
Tips for Online Buyers
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. This saying holds true for amazing services and other goodies that are offered for very low prices. You might encounter someone selling a website which he claims to be earning $5,000 a month for only $80. You might go crazy and send him the money immediately… Don’t. The truth is… he’s selling the site because it’s not making any money at all!
Research first before buying something. If someone offers you a cheap pack of e-books, search the internet first for the e-books’ titles. They might be sold for a cheaper price, or worse, they might be offered for free by the author. Also check if the person you’re dealing with has the right to sell the products.
Double-check the item before purchasing it. You might want a brand new calculator, but what if you’re bidding on a used one? What if the owner stated that it doesn’t support sines, cosines and tangents? Be sure to read the fine print and check the details of the item before you buy it!
(By posting this image, I do not intend to give Casio a bad name. I like Casio calculators!)
Look at the seller’s reputation before dealing with him. Most online communities and shopping sites have a reputation system or something similar. Take advantage of it by checking the seller’s reputation before having a transaction with him. You might not know, the people who have dealt with him in the past have left negative feedbacks and don’t recommend having deals with him. Don’t be in a hurry to buy stuff, check the necessary things first before making a purchase. Better be safe than sorry!
Clarify issues with the seller. If you are unsure of something, it’s best to contact the seller and ask for clarifications. For example, you’re buying a mobile phone. Ask if it comes with a charger, extra batteries, earphones, and other necessary stuff. Make sure that everything is settled and you know what you’ll be getting before sending the payment.
Conclusion
When buying online, always be careful and be wary of scammers. Don’t be too fast in clicking that “Buy!” button. Check the details first before you purchase something… It’s always better to be safe than sorry. 
Other News
A new WordPress theme has been added to my collection. It’s called “Pulse” and you may download it for free here. Here’s a screenshot:
…And here’s a live demo of the theme.
Nice tips there Juggler. Good thing you got your money back.
Can anyone recommend an online community or shopping website where I can buy cheap website tools? You know, webmaster stuff? I have a low budget (like $200 for a whole site/blog). I’m planning to create a self-hosted Wordpress blog, so I need a trustworthy web host and some reliable WordPress installation service.
For webmaster-related items, DealDotCom is a good place for cheap software and other cool stuff.
There are lots of affordable and reliable web hosts to choose from on DP’s web hosting forum. And oh, I can install WordPress for you, if you want. I’ll do it for free.
Wow. That’s a helpful link. Thanks… I found many people offering very cheap webhosting (some are even 99cents/month!), but I want to know if they can be trusted or what?
Juggler - Great post from you, as always. Keep it up man! The 15th is nearing, I hope I can win the subscriber contest.
Lenz - I doubt that all of them can be trusted. Remember, there are scammers everywhere. You should prolly check some reviews for those web hosts before you buy. As Juggler said.. better be safe than sorry!
Good luck, Dex.
Lenz: Some of those offers are just scams, but there are really reputed hosts which offer cheap services for as low as $0.99.
I would say whether or not they could be trusted is immaterial, really. You want your site to grow, no? I can’t say with 100% certainty, but if your site grows like you probably want it to, it will most likely outgrow even the most reputable for $.99 web hosting services.
I hope you didn’t close the PayPal Dispute. If he did it to you, you can be assured that he’s scamming others too and PayPal needs to know about it.
I think it’s important to let scammers know you’re on to them when possible. Good for you for reporting the guy and getting your money back.
Aww… sheesh. I wasn’t able to think about that. You’re right…
The best way to avoid scam is to not use any money at all.
Scammers are lower than spammers - they are annoying and they hurt others.
“The best way to avoid scam is to not use any money at all.”
If you won’t risk, you won’t earn.
“Scammers are lower than spammers - they are annoying and they hurt others.”
Wow, you’re pretty good at rhyming, pal!
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