1. What is the offer?

Be suspicious of offers that are much too good and companies that promise miracles. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Contact with company

Make sure you can get in touch with the company before making your purchase. Serious e-retailers have a contact page with phone numbers, email addresses and other information.

3. What are the terms and conditions?

Check the terms and conditions of the agreement before making your purchase. For example, it should be clear how to make a complaint about the goods and how long the cooling-off period is.

4. How does payment work?

Choose the payment method you feel most secure with. Cards are the most common form of payment. Just make sure that the page is protected or encrypted by checking that the URL starts with “https” instead of “http”. If there is a padlock next to the address field in the browser, the website supports a secure connection and is authenticated. Does the company only accept advance payments? In that case there’s every reason to be suspicious! It's best to choose another store.

5. What is the company?

Have you never heard of the company before? Google it and see what other people say about it. It is a good idea to read reviews by other customers!

6. What information is needed?

Never provide your card number unless it is for making a purchase.

7. Save information

Always save the confirmation email you receive after you have made your purchase.

8. Is it a secure e-commerce site?

Look for a so-called “trustmark” in the store. This could be a small lock symbol and the text “Safe e-commerce”, or similar. Trustmarks indicate that the e-retailer is connected to a network and therefore needs to meet certain security requirements.