| Online Pet Shops – Shopping Safety Tips |
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| Written by Kitty Teddy | ||||
| Sunday, 30 December 2007 | ||||
 With an increase in home computer ownership, widespread broadband access and hundreds of online pet shops offering pet owners pet food, pet gifts and pet accessories; it’s no wonder that online pet stores are now taking a bigger share of the UK pet business. But for many, buying online is new and some are put off from buying online after hearing scare stories where unscrupulous web sites have stolen people’s financial and personal details.- Bargain Pet Products Online – & a Personal Touch. Buying pet products from online pet shops is a great way to find that hard to find or rare item, specialist food, or to shop around for a bargain. Often online pet stores are run as small companies by pet owners themselves, so you’ll get that personal touch and after sales support. As with any online purchase there are some risks – not as many as the scare stories would have you believe though – and if you follow our basic rules and basic checks you can ensure your details are safe and that you and your pet receive the goods you have ordered. - My Pet Friends Pet Business Directory Customer Feedback Search for online pet shops in our pet business directory. You’ll find general pet stores and more specialised pet shops. You can also leave & read feedback about an online pet shop that you have used – recommendations and customer testimonials that will be invaluable for other customers and the retailer. -  Kitty & Teddy’s Pet Care Guide to Safe Online Pet Shop ShoppingWhen you have found the item that you wish to purchase on an online pet store, before you complete the sale and make payment, follow our simple check list: - • Even if the site ends in .co.uk it does not mean that it is a UK based service. Check the contact details to see where the site is located – an email address is not enough, and be weary of PO box addresses - if the site doesn’t offer a real address then let that bargain go. • Does the site give you an email address, postal address and telephone number (land line preferably, not a mobile) that you can call if you have any queries or problems with your order after you have placed it? • If the site is listed in the My Pet Friends business directory, what do other users have to say about the service? • If you are buying from outside of the UK, do you have to pay any additional duty tax when the item enters the country? • Is what you are buying legal to purchase in the UK – e.g. rare animals, medicines • Have you entered the correct quantity of items, and is what’s in your ‘shopping basket’ what you want to buy? (it sounds obvious, but its easy to click on the wrong item) • Is there a delivery charge to be added to the item? The delivery charge may mean that the item you thought was a bargain may not be after all. Some sites waive delivery fees if your purchases are over a certain amount. • When do you need the item? Check the delivery time. If you need the item as a gift, have you left enough time for it to arrive? • When you are asked to enter your card details on the site, can you see the locked padlock symbol (located near the bottom right hand side of the screen), and does the web address have an ‘s’ after the http – as in this example: https:// • What returns policy does the site offer? • Have you read the sites “Terms and Conditions”? They may be lengthy but they will detail any issues you need to be aware of, so take some time to go through them. • You have the same consumer rights if you purchase online as you do if you purchase from a pet shop directly, however check the pet shops policies on returns and refunds. -   Add as favourites (0) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 475
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