Is it safe to buy on marketplaces? How to avoid fraud?

What are Marketplaces?

Marketplaces are online platforms that function like a virtual marketplace where sellers can put their products for sale and users can easily buy. Generally in order to ensure the protection of users and avoid exposing users to potential fraud, security measures are taken.

For sellers, being present on a marketplace like EBay, AliExpress or Amazon, for example, is a way to increase the possibility to expand the business, increase the customer base and sales.

On the other hand, for the buyer customers, the existence of Marketplaces makes the shopping experience more convenient and agile in the sense that there is a huge variety of offers - clothes, books, electronics, music, among others - and it is possible to buy from different sellers/shops in a single place.

What should you do before making a purchase on a Marketplace?

Today, there is a wide variety of Marketplaces with a wide range of offerings for consumers.

When it comes to online shopping, taking some best practices into consideration is a must. Therefore, before making a purchase on a Marketplace, checking the seller's rules regarding refunds and returns can be a strong help in case there are any problems, as well as making sure there are secure payment methods so you don't lose money and avoid theft of personal data.

How to avoid theft of personal data on Marketplaces

To understand the authenticity of the different Marketplaces you can find on the internet, you should analyze data and information such as the address, NIPC (Legal Entity Identification Number) and contacts, for example. Likewise, you can also analyze security features such as Google certificates that confirm the platform's analysis and ensure the safety of users' personal data.

For each specific seller it is essential to perform a search, check the rating and the existence of comments from other users in order to understand if the seller in question is actually credible to make the purchase.

Likewise, it is important to always use secure payment methods on the Marketplace and never make the transaction outside the platform's payment system, so as not to lose any protection guarantee and avoid being cheated.

Is it safe to buy from Marketplaces?

Generally, shopping on Marketplaces is safe due to the existence of security measures and buyer protection policies such as background checks on online stores/sellers, complaint processes and refund guarantees as well as the fact that they offer users secure payment methods such as credit cards.

However, since buying and selling products online requires awareness and attention regarding the personal and financial security of each user, you should take into consideration some good practices, such as those presented above, in order to ensure a safe experience.