If you love the experience of shopping online, you'll already know how enjoyable and convenient it is to experience your favourite brands from your smartphone or laptop. But it's also vital to stay safe and secure when you're buying products and services from a website. Our tips to safe shopping online will help to protect you.

Check the retailer's legitimacy

Make sure that you are shopping at a genuine retail website from a brand that you trust. Look for official URLs, trustmarks and evidence that you are on a true brand website.

Look for security

A website will be secure if it has security trustmarks and a security policy. Check that these are in place before you buy. Also, know your credit card company's policy for credit card data theft or other online hacking issues.

Always visit direct

Don't click on a link from an email to get to a website you want to shop on unless you recognise it and know that it is genuine. Type in the URL to be sure.

Know your rights

Customers have extra rights when it comes to placing orders and making returns when they shop online. Know your rights before you shop.

Keep up to date

Make sure your device's virus protection is up to date along with your software. Also, use strong and secure passwords and change them regularly.

Use WiFi carefully

Don't use public access WiFi to make payments or to carry out secure transactions. Your domestic data connection will always be more secure.

Use credit cards

Credit Cards and PayPal offer the best level of protection. PayPal also means that scammers can't get your bank details.

Be smart

Last but not least, keep your wits about you when you buy online. Safe shopping online means thinking before you click. If you do this alone, you will greatly increase your chances of staying safe and protected when you have fun shopping online.