The 7 things you should know before buying online

Today, shopping online is extremely normal. We can even do the grocery shopping without even leaving home.

In Chile during the first half of 2018, 57.6 million purchases were made online, where the largest number of transactions were made in the services market.

Another important fact is that more than 65% of the Chilean population reviews services and products at least once a week online. "The eCommerce revolution is just beginning in Chile".

We are seeing an incipient cultural change, which democratizes access to more products at better prices, wherever you are located in the country," said Alan Meyer, general director of Mercado Libre Chile.

At Bonoboss we believe that in Chile the trend will continue for all purchases to be made online in the future and that shopping malls and physical stores will become showrooms rather than stores.

However, before making purchases online, we know that you have to be informed and not get carried away by a nice description or a low price, that is why we leave you these 7 recommendations that you should take into account before buying nationally or internationally.

1) Read the reviews of the product and the page

Although many times there can be skepticism about the comments that exist on different Internet sites, it is good to have a reference of the experience of real people about a product or service.

You must review the good, the bad and the ugly before making a decision. Many times there are reviews of the entire website and not only of the products, in this way you can also know what other people think of the service provided, if they solve the problems or not, if they ship on time or if they have a fluid communication channel.

2) Check if it is easy to contact the company or supplier before buying

Well, imagine for a moment that you make a purchase on the website you are visiting, but it turns out that you have had a problem, will it be easy to contact them so that they would solve it so that you can receive your order? Or they will send you the product and if you do not receive it, you will have to send 10 emails so that they answer 1 with a copy paste.

Generally, if it is your first purchase, it is advisable to carry out communication tests, such as asking questions by email, WhatsApp, Skype or other channels provided by the online store. This way you will know what you are dealing with in advance.

3) Make sure the product is not disposable

Many times, tempted by the price, we choose cheap products that promise to be Good, Pretty and Cheap, however after receiving them they do not last a week and do not have any repairs, causing loss of your money and on many occasions damages. to the environment and ecosystems that you cannot imagine.

It is important that our consumption is responsible and that we generate a sustainable community, we must become aware of this before it is too late. At Bonoboss we encourage you to put aside 1-use products or those that cannot be repaired and opt for products that have a long useful life, and hopefully are biodegradable or sustainable.

4) Know the trajectory of your provider and ensure your experience

Whether it is a product or service, check how many years it has been in the market, where it is positioned, if it sells its products exclusively online, or if it is a supplier that also sells to clients with established and specialized stores in your area.

Check if it has a distributor in the regions, or if it has distributors in country, if it is from abroad, and look for reviews of them, their service and their products. This will give you an idea of ​​​​how seriously this company takes its business.

5) Check how easy it is to assert your guarantee or make a return

Many times when we have a problem with the product, asserting the guarantee is very tedious, and even many times when we have a bad experience we simply decide not to face the problem and simply never choose that brand again.

This can be avoided, know the manufacturer's warranty policy and find out if it has a specialized technical service or not. Remember that the more intermediaries, the longer it will take to receive a response and solve your problem.

Some stores do not offer a refund, others do, find out about this before making the purchase. What happens if the product you bought does not meet your expectations or is extremely different from its description? Will they force you to change it for another, or will they give you your money back?

6) Know the purchase limits on international orders

Throughout the world, and different in each country, there are maximum purchases for imports to go through a complex customs process. In Chile all orders less than $30 US FOB value (Incoterm which means Free on Board, that is the value of the product without freight cost) do not pay taxes, that is, they will pass through customs, however all orders greater than 30 dollars must go through an additional customs process.

Some companies offer payment of taxes in advance, that way they make the payment to customs and speed up the process.

Similarly, in Chile, all orders over $3,000 US (FOB) will require a customs agent for clearance, taking even more time, it is important that you prepare all the documents in advance to speed up the process.

On the other hand, you should consider that it will increase your costs.

7) Find out about shipping times

For national purchases we recommend you read reviews and review the company with which the store makes shipments.

For international purchases: Day by day we see that free shipping is gaining strength, however we must bear in mind that it is very likely that shipping times are not the most expeditious.

If you have time to wait, then make the purchase and be patient to receive it a few weeks or months after making the purchase.

On the other hand, if you choose a store with a good reputation, with reviews that support it, and it offers to deliver your shipment in a time that is acceptable to you, then it deserves a try. There are stores that ship internationally for free and it only takes a couple of days to deliver your order anywhere. Incredible or not?

You must bear in mind that for international shipments, delivery times are always extended from December 10 onwards.