When researching and shopping for products online, there are millions of options available to you ranging from big box stores, to privately owned local shops. How do you decide which one to buy from?
The answer depends on what is most important to you as the consumer. Sometimes you need something fast, other times you are on the hunt for the best bargain you can find, while other times money and delivery speed are no object and you are just looking for something unique. Regardless of what you are shopping for and you personal preferences, there 3 universal factors that apply no matter where you are shopping online:
1 – Transaction Security
2 – Customer Service
3 – Product Quality
Let’s explore each of these in greater detail.
Transaction Security
There are a lot of great online stores and marketplaces out there on the web, but there are also a lot of scams. Here are some steps you can take while shopping to help protect yourself from scammers and identity thieves:
- Never enter your personal information into a website that does not have an SSL
- SSL stands for “Secure Sockets Layer” and means that your data is encrypted
- You can verify a website has this by looking for the padlock icon in the address bar of your browser
- By clicking on the padlock you can view information about the certificate holder to further verify that the company requesting your info is who they say they are.
- Look at address or contact information for the website
- Online stores with no way to contact them are a huge red flag
- Also, take note of where a company claims to be located vs where their contact info says they are located
- Try to contact the company to ask a simple question
- If you are able to contact someone and the store is not real, they probably won’t be able to answer your questions about the product
- If you leave a voicemail, email, or live chat message and no one ever answers you, that is also a red flag
If you are still unsure if an online store is legitimate at this point or have a weird feeling about buying from them, LEAVE the site. There are plenty of other reputable online stores you can search for your product.
Customer Service
Another important aspect to consider for any online purchase is the level of customer service you will receive. Buying a product and then getting horrible support if there is an issue is the last thing you want. For the best experience, look for companies that offer:
- Shipping with tracking options so you know when your product will arrive
- Free return shipping if you need to return the product
- Shipping can be expensive and why should you have to pay an additional cost on an item you are not keeping?
- Live contact options via chat or phone
- Waiting days for an email response can become irritating when you have an issue you need resolved with your order
Product Quality
No matter who you are buying from, you want to know what people are saying about the product quality. Read reviews before buying to see what people are saying. If the majority of reviews are mentioning poor product quality, then stay away. While people need an exceptional experience to take the time to write about a good experience, they will always take the time to discuss a bad experience.
Another important factor to note with reviews is the number of reviews. If a product has a 5 star review with only 1 review, that is not enough data to make an informed decision. Look for products with at least 10-15 reviews (unless it is a brand new model from a trusted brand).
When to buy from Amazon vs Ali Express
There are different advantages to using each online retailer. When shopping for a very specific product category, you may benefit from choosing a retailer dedicated to that particular product area. For example if you needed craft supplies, you may have better luck finding what you need at a Michaels vs sifting through thousands of unrelated products on Amazon. Let’s explore the benefits of Amazon and Ali Express, along with a few other retailers.
Amazon benefits:
Amazon offers a wide range of product offerings from books, to clothing, kitchen gadgets to kids toys. Whatever you are looking for, odds are you can find it on Amazon. One the key advantages of using Amazon is their ability to shipping items quickly through their huge logistics network. In many cases, Amazon Prime customers can receive their purchases the next day at no additional cost; some areas even have access to same day product delivery for those lucky enough to live near a distribution center.
Sometimes having so many options can actually hinder your shopping experience and leave you in a state of decision overload. Amazon has a lot happening on each product page where they are suggesting alternate options or related items. As you continue to click through suggested items, you may become overwhelmed and forget what you were shopping for in the first place. This can often lead to not completing your purchase, or purchasing a different item than what you were originally looking for.
As far as reliability and trust level, it doesn’t get much better than Amazon. Products are delivered quickly and usually packed in a way to protect your items. When something does go wrong, they have an amazing customer service policy and quickly resolve most issues. Returns are simple with options to return items to a shipping service such as UPS, an Amazon Locker location, or numerous retail partner locations including Kohl’s and Whole Foods in the USA.
Ali Express benefits:
Ali Express is a division of Alibaba, which specializes in connecting consumers and small businesses with manufacturers of unique products. Unlike it’s parent company, Ali Express allows customers to make small purchases direct from the manufacture. The key benefit here is that you can often find high quality products for much less. This is because they you are not paying the mark up for the brand names that would typically contract with these manufacturers and import the products.
One major down side of this service is shipping time. It can often take weeks or months to receive your items for US residents. The fact that you can find great deals on unique products (especially electronics) is often enough to outweigh the shipping time factor. If you need something quickly, like a last minute holiday or birthday gift, stick to Amazon.
Here are a few bone conduction headphones that we think are worth the wait:
Etsy benefits:
Etsy is another great online retailer. The primary benefit they offer is that you can purchase custom, handcrafted items. These are great when you are looking for a special, unique gift but are not a crafty person yourself.
Local retailer benefits:
Another great option for online shopping is to buy from a local trusted retailer such as Walmart or BestBuy. These brands often have an option to buy online then pick up in store or have the item delivered. Also, if you are unhappy with your purchase, you can often return the item directly to the local store.
Conclusion
You have many options when it comes to shopping online and there is no one right option for everyone. The type of item you are looking for, how quickly you need it, and how much you are looking to spend will determine which option is best for you. When it comes to bone conduction headphones, we are confident you will find some great options with fast shipping on Amazon, or some great deals that are worth waiting for on Ali Express.
