Buy Irish online but avoid those who deceive…
For Black Friday this year we have decided to focus more as if it is a Green Friday.
Through our newsletters, social media channels etc we will be sticking to promoting products which if not Irish made or Irish designed are at the very least sourced through Irish suppliers we deal with.
We encourage all consumers to where possible buy Irish online in the run up to Christmas but don’t just do it for the sake of it….
Make sure you are getting value for money and that you are dealing with a genuine Irish company that are are very much working and engaging with customers on a daily basis.
Here are 5 things to look out for when ordering online in the run up to Christmas
1: Never buy anything online using your credit card from a site that doesn’t have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed—at the very least. You’ll know if the site has SSL because the URL for the site will start with HTTPS—instead of just HTTP.
2: Does the website have a phone number? If there is no phone number you got to wonder why might they be reluctant for you to be able to converse with them over the phone? If they can’t provide you with a phone number you should never provide them with your card details. It is always reassuring to know that if anything goes wrong with your order there is a voice at the other end of a phone line if needs be.
3: Are the company genuinely based in Ireland? There is a long history of UK based businesses in particular using .ie websites in an effort to give the impression that they are based in Ireland. Whilst being deceptive they were not doing anything illegal however in the post Brexit era you could now well find that when you order from these websites you could be subjected to a customs charge when the goods arrive.
4: A relatively new online shopping scams involves scammers using social media platforms like facebook to set up fake online stores. They open the store for a short time, often selling fake branded clothing or jewellery. After making a number of sales, the stores disappear. They also use social media to advertise their fake website, so do not trust a site just because you have seen it advertised or shared on social media. Do your own research and if you can’t find anyone you know that has anything good to say about them it is best you avoid them.
5: And finally if the price sounds too good to be true then it probably is…
Click here to view our top 20 green tinged gift ideas for 2021 here