How to search a product online?

While searching a product online, there are few things that you should know with regard to the Customer Services, Order Services, Payment Services, etc.

Customer Services

Product Catalogue

• Online Browsing of the Catalogue: The customer can browse the product catalogue online according to their requirements. It helps in selection of products for placing the order of their choice.



• Comprehensive Search Facility: A comprehensive search facility helps a customer in locating products of his choice quickly and easily. The kind of refinements that may be specified by the user includes: Search by Product Id: If the customer knows the product id, then he can locate the product directly using this facility rather than drilling down the hierarchy of product families. Any text that the customer feels relevant to a particular product may be specified and all product families and products that satisfy the query are presented to the user. The customer can reduce the search by specifying the product family to search within specified prices range. If the user is interested in locating products within a price range, then the same may be specified.

Order Services

Automatic Order Confirmation

• Confirmation through e-mail: As soon as a valid order is placed by a customer with the online website (with full payment details), an automatic mail confirming the order is sent to the customer (provided the customer has supplied his e-mail address). The status of the order may be tracked online. This facility is, however, available only for registered users.



• Offline: If desired by the user (through preferences), the customer may be updated through e-mail as and when the order status changes.

Payment Services

• Online through Credit/Debit Cards: Once the validity of card detail is ensured, the order is accepted. Effective implementation of online payment, however, requires that the following be implemented:

• A Digital Certificate obtained for the website so that the payment details furnished by the user are secured over the network. Such security will also enhance the confidence that the customer has placed on the site.

• Offline through Demand Draft/Postal Order in the form of Demand Draft or Postal Order. In this case, the order is not confirmed till the specified Demand Draft or Postal Order is not obtained from the customer.

Specialised Services for Registered Users

The Registered customers can set their preferences and thus avail of a number of specialised services. Registered customers can specify:

• If they wish their favourite product family to be made their default product catalogue
• If they wish to be updated on all new products or only on products belonging to their favourite product family
• If they wish to be updated through e-mail about their order status
• If they wish to be updated through e-mail about new events, exhibitions, etc. related to products of their choice
• If they wish to be updated through e-mail about discount campaigns on all products or only on products belonging to the favourite product family.

Help

• Online Help is available at all stages of buying thus enriching the customer’s interaction with the website. The FAQs provide quick answers to frequently asked questions
• Offline: The customer can get more focused help through telephone, fax, email or post through the contacts mentioned in the Contact Us.

Are ordering a product online safe?

We can buy any product online with just a click of the mouse. The whole world of e-commerce, i.e. electronic commerce enables the consumers to buy any product online from unlimited number of stores and pay for their purchase instantly through the online medium. The Internet has changed the buying habits of people because they have found convenience in online shopping through detailed browsing and reading sessions. The consumer expects that their payments should be a simple and secure process, so that they are not cheated by any computer fault or poor customer service.

There are few things that we should keep in mind while ordering a product online:

Buy products from Secured websites

The secured websites uses encryption technology to transfer information from the computer to the online merchant's computer. Encryption scrambles the information you send, such as your credit card number, in order to prevent computer hackers from obtaining it. The only people who can unscramble the code are those with legitimate access privileges. You can know when you are dealing with a secure website in several ways:

• First, if you look at the top of your screen where the website address is displayed, you should see https://. The "s" that is displayed after "http" indicates that website is secure. Often, you do not see the "s" until you actually move to the order page on the website.



• Another way to determine if a website is secure is to look for a closed padlock displayed at the bottom of your screen. If that lock is open, you should assume it is not a secure site.

Of course, transmitting your data over secured channels is of little value to you if the merchant stores the data unscrambled. You should try to find out if the merchant stores the data in encrypted form. If a hacker is able to intrude, it cannot obtain your credit data and other personal information. Be sure to read the merchant's privacy and security policies to learn how it safeguards your personal data on its computers.

Undertake Proper Navigation of the Website

It is better to buy a product from a known company. But, if you decide to buy something from an unknown company, start out with an inexpensive order to learn if the company is trustworthy. The reliable companies should advertise their physical business address and at least one phone number, either customer service or an order line. Call to the company and ask questions to determine if the business is legitimate. Even if you call after hours, many companies have a "live" answering service, especially if they don't want to miss orders. Ask how the merchant handles returned merchandise and complaints. Find out if it offers full refunds or only store credits.

Read the Website's Privacy and Security Policies

The e-commerce websites provide information about how it processes your order. It is usually listed in the section entitled “Privacy Policy.” You can find out if the merchant intends to share your information with a third party or affiliate company. Do they require these companies to refrain from marketing to their customers? If not, you can expect to receive “spam” (unsolicited e-mail).

Mode of Payment in e-trading

The safest way to buy any product on the Internet is with a credit card. You have the right to dispute charges on your credit card, and you can withhold payments during a creditor investigation. We recommend that you obtain one credit card that you use only for online payments to make it easier to detect default credit charges. E-commerce shopping by cheques leaves you susceptible to bank fraud. Make sure your credit card is a true credit card and not a debit card, or an ATM card.

Here are some of the points that you should keep in mind while making payments:

• Keep Your Password Private: Most e-commerce websites require the shopper to log-in before placing or viewing an order. The shopper is usually required to provide a username and a password. When selecting a password, do not use commonly known information, such as your birth date, mother's name, or your driving license number. Do not reuse the same password for other websites. The safest password should have at least eight characters, along with numbers and letters.

• Always Print the Copies of Your Orders: After placing an order online, you should receive a confirmation page that reviews your entire order. It should include the price of the order, customer information, product information, and the confirmation number. We recommend you print out at least one copy of the web page(s) describing the item you ordered as well as the page showing company name, postal address, phone number, and legal terms, including return policy. Keep it for your own records for at least the period covered by the return/warranty policy. Often you will receive a confirmation message that is e-mailed to you by the merchant. Be sure to save and/or print this message as well as any other e-mail correspondence with the company.

Steps that you should take for prompt delivery of a product

Internet is becoming the fastest growing medium for online delivery of products and services. There has been exponential growth in the goods and services sold online.

For prompt and quick delivery of products, we need to know a few details about the shipment:

Shipment Details

A company must dispatch your order within the time stated in its advertisement. Also look out for any options wherein you can cancel the order if the delivery date has expired. The flexibility to cancel the order placed will give you sense of security if the shipment does not reach your mentioned address on time. This should also include receiving a prompt refund on cancelling the order.

Here are few shipping questions to ask:

• Who pays the shipping cost?
• Are there choices for shipping?
• What does the site say about shipping insurance?
• Does the site tell you if there are geographic or other restrictions for delivery?
• What are the shipping and handling fees, and are they reasonable?

Know the Cancellation, Return and Complaint-Handling Policies of the Company

At times, the shoppers need to return the merchandise. So, one should check the website for cancellation and return policies. 

• Who pays for shipping?
• Is there a time limit or other restrictions to the return or cancellation?
• Is there a restocking charge if you need to cancel or return the order?
• Do you get a store credit, or will the company fully refund your charges to your credit card?  If the merchant only offers store credits, find out the time restriction for using this credit.

Understand the Supplier's Reliability

The reliability of the supplier is a very crucial task. Here are few steps by which you can know whether you are in contact with a reliable supplier or not:

The Supplier’s Reputation

It is safe to deal with companies you already know and have trust in them. If you are not familiar with the name and reputation of a company and especially if a seller has sent you an unsolicited e-mail message (spam), then find out more before you buy any product from that online site. Some online auction sites offer "feedback" areas where customers discuss their experiences with a particular person auctioning off goods. Before submitting a bid on an item, check the remarks made about the seller.

The Supplier’s website Address

You will have to find out detailed information about the website’s address, when you are buying the products online. You should know the complete information about their contact details. So that if the seller changes their website addresses then you should have a complete address of that site.

Supplier’s Experience

The company’s experience in selling the products is of prime importance. It is viable to buy an item from a seller who regularly sells those items. You can check for their creditworthiness, pricing and quality of the products.

Authorised Supplier

You may get better warranty service if you buy from an authorised seller. To identify the authorised supplier, you can call the manufacturer of the product you're interested in, or visit the manufacturer's website to check if the operator of the site has been authorised to sell the manufacturer's product.

Clarify the continuity of supplier's operation

You may wish to telephone or send an e-mail to be sure the seller is still in operation, particularly if the website's material appears to be old or obsolete.

Is ordering overseas product safe?

Ordering products from overseas helps you reduce costs, take advantage of favourable exchange rates, access products and technologies not available domestically, provide product assortment, overcome domestic shortages and reduce dependency on a limited domestic supplier base.

There are few steps you need to keep in mind while ordering products online from overseas:

Plan your requirements

The first step in sourcing products from overseas is to plan your requirements:

• Objectives - What do you want to achieve by importing?
• Products/services - What do you wish to import?
• Additional requirements - Will you need after-sales support?
• Warehousing - How and where will you store the imported goods?
• Lead times - How quickly will you need the goods?
• Budget - Will importing goods be cost effective?

Depending on what products you require and their respective availability you may have a wide or limited choice of suppliers.

• Identify countries that supply the required product
• Identify specific suppliers from your preferred country(s)
• Assess any country or regional opportunities
• Conduct a financial analysis
• Identify any risks involved

You may decide to buy directly from the manufacturer/service provider or to use an intermediary. Whatever method you choose, there are some key factors to consider when choosing an overseas supplier:

• Do the products/services meet your requirements?
• How many years have they been operating for?
• Are they financially stable?
• Do they have any quality certifications?
• Who else do they supply? Can they provide references?
• What are their delivery schedules?
• Are their terms & conditions satisfactory?

Sourcing the suppliers

• Asking business clients to recommend a supplier.
• Searching the web for international directories of suppliers providing the products/services you require.
• Contacting trade associations, local embassies for a list of potential suppliers.
• Reading international trade reports on key suppliers in your industry.

How to get the best deal from an overseas supplier?

To get the best deal from an overseas supplier is not an easy task. You should carry out these steps to negotiate for the best, the supplier can offer according to your requirements.

Research

It is important to research supplier’s reliability. If you are planning to buy the products then you need to do a lot of research about the supplier. Investigate in detail about the business run by the supplier. There are countless Internet forums run by people who have taken the overseas plunge. Reading about other peoples' experiences will give you an idea of the potential problems of buying in your chosen country, and any extra expenses that you are likely to incur.

Creditworthiness

Financial checks of overseas suppliers can be difficult due to the lack of accessible financial information. See if your bank's international trade team can carry out a status query - a query into the company's financial standing on your behalf. Avoid advance payment or long-term contracts until you trust the supplier.

Value for money

The price and quality of the product that the supplier is offering should be viable to you. Get a written quotation. Ask for a sample based on your specification to make sure the supplier is capable of producing what you need. Your aim should be to pay the lowest price possible for the product that you need. When negotiating with suppliers on prices, a business owner/manager should be fully aware of what the business can afford in order to make a profit.

Get the experts in

Different countries have different laws and regulations, so it's important to get connected with an expert with good communication skills. He should be used to deal with overseas purchasers and go through all the possible fees, taxes, insurance issues, local authority rules and any possible pitfalls.

Make an offer & build a contract

When you make an offer, there are key considerations you need to keep in mind when setting objectives for purchase negotiations. These include: price, delivery, payment terms, after-sales service and maintenance arrangements, quality, lifetime costs of a product or service, whether or not the product or service is essential to your business.

You should build a contract taking into consideration what will happen if there are any problems with the goods or services. For example, will the supplier replace individual faulty goods or the whole batch and within the given time period. You should agree penalties for failure to meet delivery times or quality standards of the products. You should also consider including any dispute resolution or exit procedures that must be followed if either party is dissatisfied with the relationship or wants to end the contract.

Duped? Here are some legal options

Cyber laws are legal issues related to the use of Internet. It includes intellectual property, privacy, freedom of expression and jurisdiction. The cyber law is an attempt to integrate the challenges presented by human activity on the Internet with legacy system of laws applicable to the physical world.

Cyber laws are important because it deals with all the aspects of transactions and activities concerning the Internet, the World Wide Web and cyberspace. In May 2000, both the houses of the Indian Parliament passed the Information Technology Bill.

The Bill received the assent of the President in August 2000 and came to be known as the Information Technology Act, 2000. Cyber laws are contained in the IT Act, 2000. This Act aims to provide the legal infrastructure for e-commerce in India. And the cyber laws have a major impact for e-businesses and the economy in India.

Indian Cyber Laws or IT Act of India

Cyber laws are meant to set the definite pattern, rules and guidelines that define certain business activities going on through internet, legal or illegal. The IT Act 2000, the cyber law of India, gives the legal framework so that information is not denied legal effect, validity or enforceability, solely on the ground that it is in the form of electronic records.

• The e-commerce industry carries out its business via transactions and communications through electronic records. It thus becomes essential that such transactions be made legal. The IT Act 2000 empowers the government departments to accept filing, creating and retention of official documents in the digital format. The act also puts forward the proposal for setting up the legal framework essential for the authentication and origin of electronic records / communications through digital signature.
• The act legalises the e-mail and gives it the status of being valid form of carrying out communication in India. This implies that e-mails can be duly produced and approved in a court of law, thus can be regarded as substantial document to carry out legal proceedings.
• The act also talks about digital signatures and digital records. These are awarded the status of being legal and valid means that it forms strong basis for launching litigation in a court of law. It invites the corporate companies in the business of being Certifying Authorities for issuing secure Digital Signatures Certificates.
• It eases the task of companies of the filing any form, application or document by laying down the guidelines to be submitted at any appropriate office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the government. This will help in saving costs, time and manpower. 
• The act also provides statutory remedy to the companies in case the crime against the accused for breaking into their computer systems or network and damaging and copying the data is proven. The remedy provided by the act is in the form of monetary damages, not exceeding Rs. 1 crore.
• The act talks of the establishment of the Cyber Regulations Appellate Tribunal, which shall be an appellate body where appeals against the orders passed by the Adjudicating Officers, shall be preferred.
• The act talks about various offences and the said offences shall be investigated only by a Police Officer not below the rank of the Deputy Superintendent of Police. These offences include tampering with computer source documents, publishing of information, which is obscene in electronic form and hacking.
• The act also provides for the constitution of the Cyber Regulations Advisory Committee, which shall advice the government as regards any rules, or for any other purpose connected with the said act. The said Act also proposes to amend the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, The Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891, The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 to make them in tune with the provisions of the IT Act.

Case Study:

Online Automotive Fraud

A fraudster posts a vehicle for sale on an online site, generally for luxury or sports cars advertised for thousands less than market value. The details of the vehicle, including photos and description, are typically lifted from sites such as eBay Motors and re-posted elsewhere. An interested buyer, hopeful for a bargain, emails the seller, who responds saying the car is still available but is located overseas. He then instructs the buyer to send a deposit via wire transfer to initiate the "shipping" process. The unwitting buyer wires the funds, and doesn't discover until days or weeks later that they were scammed.

A fraudster feigns interest in an actual vehicle for sale on the Internet. The "buyer" explains that a client of his is interested in the car, but due to an earlier sale that fell through has a certified check for thousands more than the asking price and requests the seller to send the balance via wire transfer. If the seller agrees to the transaction, the buyer sends the certified cheque via express courier. The seller takes the cheque to their bank, which makes the funds available immediately. Thinking the bank has cleared the cheque; the seller follows through on the transaction by wiring the balance to the buyer. Days later, the check bounces and the seller realises they have been scammed. But the money has long since been picked up and is not recoverable.

Courtesy: http://www.cyberlawsindia.net