Why is buying online safer than going to the merchant?

Some may definitely read the title again in disbelief and expect that the title was written incorrectly. However, the title is exactly as you read it. Buying online is safer for you than buying from companies or merchants, and the reason here is due to many factors that I will explain to you through this thread. Based on my experience in this field, where it is one of my work fields, I will explain some details about this process, which may not have been presented before. E-commerce in general and on a global level is governed by specific laws and relationships that do not differ from one country to another. Let me tell you about the reasons that make buying online and shopping online better than going to merchants or companies.

The Buying Process from the Merchant’s Perspective

Let me tell you how the process is done from the merchant’s perspective. The merchant has the products and adds them to the online store. When you buy the product, he contacts the shipping company to ship the product to you or he ships it to you directly. Certainly, the costs here are “the cost of the product + the cost of shipping the product + bank commission + profit margin.” But generally, you will find very competitive prices on the Internet, and most likely, you will find them lower. The reason for this is the cost of labor and the ease of access to the buyer on the Internet compared to accessing them in real life and other factors.

1. The Bank Regulates and Guarantees the Process

There are many payment methods depending on what the online store you are purchasing through provides, such as payment by credit card and payment upon receipt, which are the most popular. Some may believe that paying upon receipt is safer, but this belief is incorrect. When you pay by credit card, there are more parties involved in the process to guarantee it, namely the bank that issued the credit card and the bank that owns the electronic payment gateway, such as Mastercard or Visa.

For example, you enter to purchase from a website on the Internet and choose to pay by credit card. Then you enter the card number and details, and the payment process is completed. Note that the page you used for payment will have the logo of Mastercard and the bank that guarantees the process. So, after you have made the payment, let’s assume that the product did not arrive on time or did not arrive as described on the website, all you have to do in this case is contact the bank that issued the credit card and request an objection to the payment. In this case, the bank that issued your card will speak to the bank through which the transaction was made, and in this case, they will either verify the validity of the transaction and that you have received the product correctly, or they will refund the amount to you in your account.

What you will need during the credit card payment process is to know the bank through which the transaction is being made and you will find its logo on the payment page when entering the credit card number. In Egypt, it will either be the National Bank of Egypt, the Arab African International Bank, or the Bank of Egypt. The National Bank of Egypt is currently the leader in e-commerce in Egypt. You will also need to take a screenshot of the payment confirmation message that will appear for you, as the bank may request it from you in case of any objections.

2. Variety of Choices and Ease of Navigation

The products are displayed in full in front of you, and you can see many images of them as well. Some stores also provide videos of the products. Online stores have become very diverse and have a very large number of products. You can browse all these stores, search for what you want, and then buy it directly through the website. You will find all the details of the product listed on the product page on the store. This makes the process much easier, and you can choose from hundreds of thousands of products instead of going to one merchant or one company and choosing from its products only. This also saves a lot of time.

3. Ensuring the Product is Genuine

I will explain this point well. You have now entered to buy a watch, for example, from one of the stores and they told you that this watch is genuine on their online store and not a High-Copy. You purchased it and found that it is not genuine, and you will discover this in any way. All you have to do in this case is to contact the bank or the merchant first. When you are sure that the watch is not genuine, they will definitely refund the amount to you. The reason is clear that the bank fully guarantees the process and ensures that the product you receive or have received is exactly what is displayed on the online store and what you purchased.

The bank has the upper hand over the merchant, and Mastercard and Visa hold the upper hand over the bank. Therefore, the safety of the online shopping process is greater than the purchase process in real life. But make sure to see the logos of one of the two entities and the bank’s logo on the payment page before entering the credit card number.

In general, if you do not have a credit card, you can easily go to one of the banks and get one. There are many types of credit cards, and you will definitely be able to know all these things by contacting the customer service of the bank you deal with or by going directly to one of the bank’s branches. What is mentioned in this thread applies to all Arab countries because they are international laws that govern the process of online shopping on a global level.