By PAGE Editor

The internet is the most expansive and exciting resource ever leveraged by fashion addicts. Bargains, unique pieces and the latest releases alike can all be snapped up online. Fashion retail is one of the fastest growing e-commerce sectors and was worth an estimated 752.5 billion dollars in 2020. Fashion brands now invest a huge amount of money into influencer marketing and targeted marketing in order to drive more online customs. 

Shopping online, however, presents some unique dangers to the garment-hungry consumer. This article is a quick guide for people that want to ensure their safety while shopping for clothing online. 

Use A VPN

A Virtual Private Network can help keep you safe when shopping for clothing online. One of the dangers associated with shopping online is the possibility of a hacker being able to steal your credit or debit card details when you enter them into a poorly secured site. Virtual Private Networks protect your details by encrypting all of the data that you send over the internet and obscuring your IP address. Visit the SurfShark website to find out more about how VPNs can protect you during transactional phases online. VPNs can also help you to get items of clothes that have only been released in certain regions. 

Use An Established Marketplace

Do some research about the marketplace you are using for your purchase. Established marketplaces have very solid rulesets that restrict the actions sellers can take. They also ensure that customers have the right to peer review sellers and send back items that do not fit or that are defective. 

eBay was one of the first online marketplaces to enable peer review. Peer reviewing structures reward sellers that please consumers and punish those that lie about the services they offer. This tends to keep sellers honest – although fake reviews can skew the accuracy of reviews in general. Always use an established marketplace or buy directly from the manufacturer of the clothing you want. Some sketchy websites claim to offer create deals on desirable shoes and clothing but have absolutely not review structure or feedback options. Stay clear of websites with suspiciously good prices and very little else. 

Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi

Public wireless networks are generally a great deal safer than their ancestors a decade ago, but that does not mean that they are entirely without risk. Hackers can position themselves between your hardware and the public wireless router. This means that all information you send over the internet using that connection is first sent to a malicious actor. This obviously has some pretty scary security implications. 

When shopping online, you are usually required to enter your bank account or PayPal details. If a hacker has positioned themselves within a public wireless network that you are using, then your essential details don’t just belong to you anymore. If you do use a public Wi-Fi network, then it is essential to avoid partaking in any tasks that could involve the sending of your personally sensitive information. Shopping for clothes? It’s a no.

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