Hold that thought: don’t be lured in by tempting discounts this season

Double-check the final price before hitting the order button

Across the EU, traders are required to present clear total prices before the purchase, including taxes, delivery, and processing fees. However, online shoppers often discover extra costs only at checkout, such as shipping or service fees. Therefore, make sure to double-check the final price and which services are covered before completing a purchase.

Compare prices and reviews on different platforms

Maybe you are looking for a discount on a product, a travel deal, or cheap tickets for an event. If you encounter an offer that seems too good to be true, chances are that it's not such a great bargain after all. If you have doubts about an offer, online comparison websites can be useful. This way, you could get a better grasp on common deals and prices. Comparison websites might not display all offers objectively, however, as they don't always list all the information about an offer, possible extra costs, or accurate prices.

Check first, then order: for products, online services and events
Apart from comparing prices, it's important to verify the reliability of an online shop by checking the contact details and reviews, for example. Every year, fake online shops pop up during events such as Black Friday, only to disappear shortly after.

This does not only apply to advertisements for products and online services, but also to events. Looking for a cheap event ticket? First, check the official channels to verify whether the event is actually listed on the calendar, how much tickets generally cost, and if you would get access with a ticket bought on the secondary market. Sometimes, the general terms and conditions of the event organiser state that second-hand tickets will not be valid for the event. It’s important to check this first to avoid disappointment later. 

Here's how to recognise a fake online shop
There are some easy ways to tell whether you're dealing with a genuine or fake online shop. Red flags include unrealistic low prices, a strange or fake address, a lack of legal information (like missing terms and conditions), and unsafe payment methods. If you discover a new online shop, a quick online search with just the trader's name can already tell you a lot about it.

Take the time you need to consider an offer

Some online shops display countdown clocks, highlight that products or tickets are nearly sold out, or show how many people are supposedly looking at the same item. These marketing tricks often create a false sense of urgency to pressure you into buying something quickly. Besides that, traders can obscure the actual costs by switching between unit prices and price per weight, increasing the prices before applying the discount, or basing the offer on a recommended retail price that's rarely charged.

While some of these practices can be misleading and even aggressive, they are still common. Not all online shops follow the rules or inform you appropriately. Some offers may be available again tomorrow or in the future. So, stay calm and allow yourself time to check whether it's a reasonable offer, consider if you actually need to order now, and if it's really what you are looking for.

Dynamic and personalised pricing

Some online shops adjust prices based on demand. This is called dynamic pricing. Or they set the price based on your profile. This is known as personalised pricing. 

Dynamic pricing 
With dynamic pricing, ticket prices for concerts or sporting events can spike dramatically within minutes due to high demand. This is allowed as long as the price information is clear. Event organisers say that dynamic pricing keeps prices on the secondary market in check. However, it can make pricing less transparent and disadvantage consumers. On the other hand, tickets may also become cheaper a few days later.

Personalised pricing
With personalised pricing, the trader could use details from your profile to set the prices. This is only allowed if the trader informs you in advance that they will apply personalised prices. To avoid this, you can clear your online search history or use your browser's private mode. This way, you will see fewer personalised prices and ads.

Avoid overpaying and fake online shops

We can imagine that all the percentages, discounts, special offers and claims make your head spin.  Here are some steps you can take to prevent overpaying and avoid fake online offers shops::

• Check prices directly on the trader's website and compare them with several providers. Also check if any additional costs have been added to your order before you pay at checkout.
• Take the time to look into the details of an online shop or offer before you order. A 2-minute check may save you a lot of time and frustration later.
• Verify contact and company details. These should be easy to find.
• Look for reviews through an online search. Don't rely on reviews listed on the shop's website only. It's quite easy to include fake reviews on a website.
• Bestel alleen via officiële kanalen en klik niet te snel op advertenties op social media. Daarmee gaat u soms naar een nagemaakte of nepwebshop. Dat kunt u bijvoorbeeld zien aan de link, een net andere naam of een logo dat niet helemaal hetzelfde is.
• Be especially alert on online marketplaces.  Not all sellers are equally reliable .  DIf you are instructed to communicate or pay through an unofficial, private channel such as , zoals WhatsApp, it's usually not a good sign.
• Use a payment service with a chargeback option or buyer protection. If you can't find a solution together with the trader after something went wrong with your order,  you can  ask your money back with a chargeback  procedure or buyer's protection.

Want to know more?

There are a lot more things you can check when shopping online.  Learn more about your consumer rights on Shopping in the EU | ECC Netherlands. 

If there's something wrong with an order, you can first ask the trader to provide a solution with our free template letters. These letters are written by humans and composed with the help of our legal experts.  You can modify the template as needed for your situation. Please be aware that you are responsible for the content if you use one of our template letters.