Hey guys,

Today I’m sharing a little knowledge with you. This topic has been on my mind for quite a while now, and I’ve just been drafting and saving these ideas. If you know me personally, you’d know that I’m really into online shopping, maybe because I find it hard going into walk in stores or probably because I’m an online sales consultant. Yes guys, I don’t really say this a lot, but yeah, I’ve been an online sales consultant since 2014. But seriously though, it’s a lot easier to change your mind when shopping on your computer than when in an actual store. I mean, among other reasons, it’s either the sales rep/marketer in the store convinces you to buy what you don’t really like/need or guilt will make you buy as you might not want to leave the store without purchasing anything. Well, this would be a discussion for another post. For now, I’d love to share these nine guides to online shopping, Nigeria as a case study.

So we all know shopping online has its pros and cons especially when buying fashion items. Well, these guides should help you shop hassle free. Also know that I’m not claiming to be a pro in this, I just want to share what has worked for me over the years shopping online in Nigeria.

Know what you want/need: Except you’re on a shopping spree with lots of cash to spend, you might want to be a bit specific with what you need - especially when on a budget. This will help you stay focus and decisive once you find what you need.

Use the right search terms or keywords: So maybe you need a yellow dress. You don’t need to search for all dresses, it’s best you stream line your search by typing in what you’re looking for in the search box. Also, avoid typing in plurals when you want to search for items in the search box. That is, type in “yellow dress” instead of “yellow dresses”. I understand you want to see all the yellow dresses on the site in order to make a decision, but the computer may not interpret that rightly. While it doesn’t matter on most websites, some sites still may not produce the list of yellow dresses you want to see. As these products are individually titled. You’ll see a product name with for instance “XYZ Yellow Dress” not “XYZ Yellow Dresses”. So what I’m saying is when you search in single terms, it’s easier for all the products you’re searching for to appear.

Know your size: Guys, I don’t know how else to say this, but this is crucial and cannot be over emphasized. It is important you know the size that’s right for you.  It’s one way you’ll be satisfied with your order. Imagine receiving that dress or shoes you’ve been dreaming about only to discover it doesn’t fit when delivered. Apart from feeling disappointed, you’ll have to start dealing with returns/exchanges. And that’s one hassle no one wishes to go through. In order to avoid this, if you’re not sure of the size conversions you see, then you need to check the size guide on any website you’re shopping from. I’d share more details, but to save you the read today, I’m going to dedicate a post on a guide to knowing your right cloth and shoe size.

Read product description: So you’re about to get this gorgeous dress you just saw on the site and you’re not sure of the fabric type. Well, I’m glad to tell you that you can get more details about an item on the item description. All you need to do is take your time to read. Pictures can be deceiving, you might think you’re seeing cotton, you’d be surprised to see polyurethane when delivered. So always try to read product description when shopping online.

Read product reviews: We learn from other people’s experience, not so? This is why it’s also advised that you read product reviews. You get to know more about the quality/durability of a product from reading a few reviews about it. Now you want to look out for verified buyer’s reviews and not just any market spoiler’s reviews. I hope you get that? Reviews go a long way in helping us decide whether or not we will get a particular product. So it’s good to identify these trusted reviews as well as sharing honest reviews when possible.

Take note of product title/name/colour: You don’t want to rely on only the image you’re seeing. As earlier said, pictures can be deceiving, you’ll think you’re seeing a white dress, meanwhile it’s actually ivory. But due to image quality, you think it’s white.  Now be informed that the colour of the product is usually stated in the product name and/or description. So try not to miss that.

Read return policy: This is also important. You may not know, but there are some products that do not accept returns after purchase. Unlike clothing that one can easily return after trying it on and discovering it doesn’t fit, it is usually not possible with some health and beauty products. Especially when the item has already been opened by the customer. Oh you opened the cosmetic foundation and realized it’s too dark/light for you? Been there, done that. Nobody answered me for return/exchange. All I was told is that it wouldn’t be possible as no one would want to purchase a product with broken seal. So I was advised to always try to read return policies before placing my order. Well, here you have it, now you know.

Get the best deal: It’s quite upsetting to find out the item you just paid for on site A is being sold a lot cheaper on site B. To be sure you’re getting the best deal, you need to compare prices with other stores. When it comes to this, I seem to always be in luck or I probably don’t get to find it cheaper elsewhere.

Shop Securely: This should have been top of the list considering its importance. But I think due to “PAY ON DELIVERY” people aren’t all that concerned about security. Well, if I must say, security is not a choice, we just have to be cautious. So to be safe when shopping online especially if you’re going to make your payments online, you need to use your personal device. Now I don’t know if people still make use of public computers, but I’ll advice you don’t use them for online transactions. It’s important you use/stick to using your personal device when paying for your items online. Although I don’t support the use of public computers for these transactions, if at all you ever needed to, then please, ensure you clear all your input details and don’t forget to log out. Oh and before I forget, you need to make sure that the website is also secured. Check for HTTPS on the link bar.

After all that’s been said, keep in mind that it’s possible for a few errors to occur every once in a while. Humans are prone to errors no matter how meticulous one is. It could be packaging error, I remember when two left foot shoes was delivered to one of my clients. And most recently, I ordered two similar but different items, yet two units of just one of the item was delivered to me. I wanted two deep moisturizing creams, one for normal skin and the other for oily skin. But I received two for normal skin. So although errors like these may occur, it’s possible that you may never experience such. I’ve seen people who have never experienced any problem at all with shopping online.

So this is where I’ll stop for now guys. I hope these guides have been helpful? I’ll be glad to share an updated guide whenever I have new tips. But feel free to share some of the tips that has helped you with online shopping.

Until next time

Much love,

Maudleen.