Christian Koisser, consumer lawyer at the Burgenland Labor Chamber, warns against false offers and fake shops
For many people, the bargain hunt in November is the starting point for shopping for gifts for Christmas. But often there is a risk for the buyer behind the so-called discount campaigns on the Internet. The Consumer Protection Chamber therefore advises to be careful when it comes to particularly low prices. “Before ordering online, you should always check whether there is an error-free print, existing general terms and conditions and information about withdrawal and return rights, data protection regulations and quality marks. This provides conclusions about the seriousness,” says consumer lawyer Christian Koisser.
A price comparison is also recommended. Dealers often assume a high list price. The supposed bargain quickly becomes a regular price product: “To avoid falling for this trick, it is worth cross-checking on price comparison sites such as geizhals.at or idealo.at – even if there is a countdown or if there is extremely limited availability. .”
It’s also worth checking for hidden additional costs and shipping costs, so you don’t get any nasty surprises when goods are returned. To protect your own banking information, ensure secure, encrypted data transmission: “Avoid making prepayments to unknown stores.” should do this after shopping. Delete browsing history and cookies.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
