Check reviews
Let's say you're looking for a nice new sports bag and you've found a nice one on a webshop that you don't really know yet. The first thing you can do is check what independent review sites say about this webshop. Google reviews and Trustpilot are reliable platforms for this. Have you had a bad experience with a webshop? Don't hesitate to share that on such a platform. You can help others with that. At the same time, you can help a trustworthy website by leaving a good review.
Quality marks
The Netherlands has several quality marks for webshops where you can shop online safely. Thuiswinkel Waarborg is the most well-known. Of course, a quality mark for a webshop still doesn't provide a 100% guarantee that you're safe, but the chance that the webshop is fake is much smaller. You can often find such a quality mark when you scroll all the way down on the webshop.
Recognize fake shops
Not all reliable webshops have a quality mark. Are you unsure if you're dealing with a fake webshop? There are several ways to distinguish a fake webshop from a real one. First, you can check reviews, but you can also enter the URL of the webshop you doubt on veiliginternetten.nl.
Many fake webshops are exposed on this website. Also, fake URLs can sometimes be found on the police's website. Fake webshops are often too good to be true. Popular items are offered at a low price and all sizes are available. Such sites often advertise via Instagram and Facebook, so be extra cautious if you click on an ad there. Fake webshops also often require you to pay via a bank transfer instead of through a system like Ideal or Paypal.
Avoid dropshippers
Furthermore, there are a few more things you should try to avoid to shop safely online. For example, try to avoid buying from dropshippers. Do you suspect you're dealing with a dropshipper? Check the address of the establishment. Is it a residential house? Then it could be a dropshipper. If the phone isn't answered when you call or if the number is out of service? That also indicates that you're dealing with a dropshipper. With dropshippers, you often buy junk for relatively high prices, returning items is a hassle, and the delivery time is often very long.
Safe online shopping starts with yourself
Alright, enough ways to outsmart the fake shops online. If you want to do it right, a true zero trust approach is of course the best. It starts with yourself; in the case of a bad purchase, you can certainly blame the webshop, but unfortunately, that won't get your money back.
