Guides
Every section we cover, with the explainers that go with it.
Decode the deal
Model
- What is a flash sale? Explain the limited-time model and how urgency changes judgement.
- How does group buying work? Explain volume thresholds, vouchers, merchant obligations and platform roles.
- Is the original price real? Show how to test a reference price using recent comparable offers and product identity.
- How do I compare the true total price? Include delivery, fees, redemption costs, warranties and unusable quantities.
- Are countdown timers trustworthy? Distinguish a real closing window from a resettable pressure device.
Check the seller
Model
- How can I verify an online seller? Check legal identity, physical contact details, history and consistency across sources.
- What should I read in the terms before buying? Find delivery, returns, expiry, exclusions, liability and governing seller.
- How do I tell in-stock from pre-order? Look for an actual dispatch commitment and a remedy for delay.
- Can online reviews be trusted? Assess recency, specificity, distribution, reviewer history and off-platform evidence.
- How do I reduce counterfeit risk? Check product provenance, authorised channels, warranty and implausible pricing.
Pay with protection
Model
- Which payment method is safest online? Compare card, platform, bank transfer and person-to-person payment by recovery path.
- What is a chargeback? Explain the card-scheme dispute process, evidence and issuer-specific deadlines.
- What transaction records should I keep? Create a compact evidence pack with offer, terms, payment and correspondence.
- Are digital wallets safer than cards? Separate credential security from purchase-dispute rights.
- How do I spot an unwanted recurring charge? Review checkout consent, statements, cancellation proof and issuer contact.
Fix a bad purchase
Model
- What should I do if an order never arrives? Verify the promise, contact the seller, preserve evidence and escalate by payment route.
- What if the product does not match its description? Document the mismatch and distinguish preference from a material description problem.
- What happens if a voucher merchant closes? Identify the contracting party, platform terms, payment route and claim evidence.
- How do I ask for a refund effectively? Use a short factual request with remedy, deadline and attachments.
- Where can I report an unfair sales practice? Separate a consumer complaint, suspected Trade Descriptions offence and suspected fraud.
Pressure, privacy and scams
Model
- How do flash sales trigger impulse buying? Explain scarcity, social proof, anchoring and a pause rule.
- What are dark patterns in online shopping? Identify obstruction, hidden costs, confirmshaming and forced continuity.
- How much personal data should a shop need? Use purpose, necessity, retention and permission checks.
- How can I recognise a fake online shop? Combine identity, payment, domain, content and offer anomalies rather than one signal.
- How do I stop deal notifications controlling my spending? Use notification removal, waiting lists and purchase rules.