7 things you should know before buying online

Nowadays, shopping online is extremely normal. We can even do our grocery shopping without even leaving home. In Chile, during the first half of 2018, 57.6 million online purchases were made, with the largest number of transactions taking place in the services market.

Another important fact is that more than 65% of the Chilean population checks services and products online at least once a week. "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 where all purchases will be made online in the future and that shopping centres and physical stores will become more of a showroom than a store.

However, before making online purchases we know that we have to be informed and not be carried away by a nice description or a low price, that is why we leave you these 6 recommendations that you should take into account before buying nationally or internationally.

1) Read the product and page reviews

Although there may often be skepticism about the comments that exist on different Internet sites, it is good to have a reference of the experience of real people with a product or service. You should review the good, the bad and the ugly before making a decision. Many times there are reviews of the entire website and not just of the products, this way you can also find out what other people think of the service provided, whether or not they solve problems, whether they ship on time or whether they have a fluid communication channel.

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

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 can resolve it for you so that you can receive your order? Or will they send you the product and if you don't receive it you will have to send 10 emails for them to respond to you, 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 facing in advance.

3) Make sure the product is not disposable

Many times, tempted by the price, we choose cheap products that promise to be BBB (Good, pretty and cheap), however, after receiving them they do not last a week and cannot be repaired, causing loss of your money and often damage to the environment and ecosystems that you cannot imagine.

It is important that our consumption is responsible and that we create a sustainable community, we must become aware of this before it is too late. At Bonoboss we encourage you to leave aside single-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 your supplier's track record and ensure your experience

Whether it's a product or service, check how many years it has been on 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 its area. Check if it has a distributor in the regions, or if it has distributors in Chile 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 the ease of enforcing your warranty or making a return

Many times when we have a problem with the product, enforcing the warranty is very tedious, and even, many times after having a bad experience we decide to simply not face the problem and simply not choose that brand ever 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 there are, the longer it will take to receive a response and resolve your problem.

Some stores do not offer a refund, others do, so find out before you make your purchase. What happens if the product you bought does not meet your expectations or is extremely different from its description? Will you be forced to exchange it for another one, or will you get your money back?

6) Know the purchase limits on international orders

All over the world, and different in each country, there are maximum purchase limits for imports to go through a complex customs process. In Chile, all orders under $30 US FOB value ( Incoterm , which means Free on Board, or the value of the product without freight costs) do not pay taxes, that is, they will pass through customs without charge. However, all orders over $30 must go through an additional customs process. Some companies offer to pay taxes in advance, in this way they make the payment to customs and speed up the process.

Likewise, in Chile, all orders over $999 US (FOB) will require a customs agent for clearance, taking even more time. It is important that you prepare all 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 domestic purchases, we recommend reading reviews and checking the company the store ships with.

For international purchases: Day by day we see that free shipping is gaining more strength, however we must take into consideration that it is very likely that the shipping times will not be 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 for you, then it is worth a try. There are stores that ship internationally for free and only take a couple of days to deliver your order in Chile. Incredible or not?

Please note that for international shipments, delivery times are always extended from December 10 onwards.