Photo: Pixabay Until the early 2000s, online shopping was not considered. But this reality changed and, due to the pandemic, the market had to adjust quickly.To avoid exposure to the virus, Brazilians had to rely on technology to place delivery orders. In fact, the change was not that difficult, as many used their cell phones to make other orders, such as pizza or a private driver. Still, the future promises to be even more exciting – and consumers need to be aware of the risks.
Using a cell phone can make shopping easier. In 2019, almost 81% of the Brazilian population had at least one cell phone with internet access, according to the latest IBGE data released by G1. In fact, the device leads the ranking of devices used to connect to the network – 98.6% of people access the internet through it.
In this case, apps can be a great way to shop without leaving home. Many retail chains have recognized consumers' needs and have begun to offer systems that allow them to access products and place orders.
In the case of marketplace platforms, they work in the same way as another store, such as a clothing store or a bookstore. The user creates a list with all the items they want, enters the address, selects the payment method and that's it. A professional in this service will pick up the product and deliver it within the agreed deadline.
Now, consumers can also check market prices without leaving home, even if they have to go to that office. Porta Foljetos is one of the sites that allows this, with reviews from Tenda Atacado, which is considered a source of self-service purchases and which recently donated more than 40 thousand items to NGOs and partner institutions and more than 50 assisted social organizations, article published on Click Guarulhos according to. There are also many offers on the online booklet at Carrefour, Extra, Lojas Americanas and other traditional markets in the country. This way, you can see which market is cheaper and not waste time jumping from one to another.
Image: Pixabay How to Buy Safely Despite the increase in people using the internet to make purchases, it is important to take some precautions. Despite network security mechanisms, not all websites are safe. It goes without saying that there are scammers who take advantage of users' lack of knowledge to obtain personal information, including bank passwords.
The first thing to consider is the tool being used. Ideally, customers should not use public computers to make purchases. Additionally, you need to make sure that information such as email and card numbers are not stored on the platform.
Another thing to look out for is the office itself. Nowadays there are many online stores, but not all of them are reliable. Therefore, it is interesting to see the brand's reputation before thinking about buying in a certain location. Is the site trustworthy? Does the store deliver on what it promises? What is the customer feedback? These issues can be easily viewed using systems such as Reclame Aqui.
Consumers should also be alert to suspicious promotions and sweepstakes. Malicious actors, for example, send malicious links via WhatsApp to capture confidential information. This year, the social network used a Mother's Day kit from Boticário as a treat, but it had nothing to do with the brand.
Technology has opened up many opportunities for commerce. Although there is a different way to buy and sell items, buyers benefit from the convenience. In any case, you need to be careful because the online public is not exposed to the product and, in many cases, does not know the institution where they want to buy.