Online shopping: top tips to stay safe and shop smart

1. Learn how to spot fake reviews

A recent Which? investigation found thousands of Amazon sellers offering free products in exchange for five-star reviews.

Don't take the overall rating at face value – read some reviews. If you see large volumes of five-star reviews, ask yourself how likely it is that so many people found a product or service faultless? Also check the negative reviews, to see if buyers had common issues.

• Find out how to spot a fake review 

• Join Which? for access to thousands of expert, unbiased reviews based on in-depth product testing

2. Watch out for scams

More than £16 million was lost to online shopping fraud between March and June 2020 alone.*

We advise extreme caution if you see any deals advertised on marketplaces and social media that look too good to be true. 

If you’re buying from a seller on an online marketplace such as Amazon or eBay, it’s worth having a quick look at their profile. Warning signs to watch out for include foreign seller locations, strange business names and a lack of contact details. 

• Find out how to spot an online shopping scam 

3. Don’t risk buying a fake or dangerous product

In a recent Which? investigation, 66% of 250 products we bought from online marketplaces were dangerous or unsafe.**

One easy way to ensure you're buying a safe product is to purchase directly from brands you’re familiar with or from retailers you trust. If you’re buying a brand you haven’t heard of, do even more research than usual to make sure it’s safe.

• Find out how to avoid fake and dangerous products 

4. Make sure you’re getting the best deal

Last year, we found 95% of products promoted in Black Friday sales were the same price or cheaper during the six months after the sales event – so there's no need to rush for your credit card when you spot a good price. 

Retailers use a range of psychological tactics to get you to hit ‘buy now’ when you’re online, and time-limited offers are just one of them. The better informed you are, the easier you’ll find it to separate the genuine deals from the duds.

• Find out how to get the best price when shopping online 

5. Know your rights

In the last year alone, more than 1.8 million people have used Which? advice to help resolve shopping problems.

A cut-price deal doesn’t mean your consumer rights should be given the chop too. You have clear legal protections when you're shopping online, and we can help you understand what these are.

• Find out more about your your online shopping rights 

*Action Fraud, June 2020

**Investigation conducted in partnership with ICRT