Top 5 online shopping mythbusters Singaporeans must know

It's time to see real benefits.

Ooi Huey Tyng, Visa’s Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, raised 5 online shopping myths. She said that often, the greatest barrier to enjoying the great deals found online is the misconceptions or myths that exist about online shopping. Here are they:

Myth 1: Shopping in-store is more convenient than shopping online

Aside from greater variety, shopping online also offers consumers greater convenience than shopping in stores. Open 24/7 and at the click of a mouse, you can make your purchases when you want and where you want.

Online shopping has never been easier, and those hard-to-find brands are delivered right to your doorstep, without you ever having to leave the comfort of your home.

Just ask the 9 out of 10 people today who have made an online purchase in the past year.

Better Finds: There are also online platforms such as Visa My Finds, which provide consumers with safe online shopping deals and offers. Visa My Finds connects cardholders with the some of the best local online eCommerce sites and provides unique “finds” – from on-line delivery protected purchases to great deals on fashion, dining, travel and more.

Myth 2: Many U.S. and U.K. online shopping sites do not accept Singapore-issued cards

What you may not realize is that many international shopping sites – even U.S. and U.K. ones - do accept Singapore-issued credit cards. Some of the best known brands across the world such as Ralph Lauren, Shopbop, Victoria’s Secret, Carters, Old Navy, Gap, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and many more take Singapore-issued Visa cards at their online stores.

As for shipping to Singapore, there are many services available like MyUS.com and vPost that ship directly from the U.S. Some retailers like Shopbop and Macy’s even offer free delivery to Singapore for Visa cardholders who order over a certain amount, while popular fashion stores like ASOS ship to Singapore for free. Don’t forget your homegrown retailers like Luxola, which offers free next day shipping in Singapore.

Myth 3: You can’t get a refund for damaged goods or fraud if you buy online

Not true at all. There are consumer safeguards in place such as Visa’s Online Delivery Protection, which is a free service for anyone with a Singaporean-issued card, safeguarding purchases made online and delivered to Singapore.

All Visa cardholders (issued in Singapore) are automatically enrolled in the Visa Online Delivery Protection program, and are covered for all online purchases for a period of six months (from 30-May 2013). This lets you shop worry-free, protecting you against fraud, non-delivery and damaged items.

Myth 4: Online shopping is more expensive than shopping in real life

Online shopping opens up the global marketplace, giving you the freedom to choose. You can find deals and discounts from U.S. or U.K. stores, which are not available to local shoppers.

These include luxury brands from Europe, which sell for considerably lower prices online compared to the prices you’ll find locally. There are also different products or ranges available online, which are not sold in Singapore. These include elusive Korean and Japanese beauty products that you just can’t find in our malls.

Myth 5: I can only use my credit card online

Not true. Your Visa debit card works just like your credit card and it’s just as secure and safe as any Visa card. Some people find debit cards more convenient because they are linked to your bank account, helping you manage your personal finances.

When making a purchase online, a Visa Debit cardholder will follow the same process as they would with a Visa Credit card, providing account number, account name and expiry date details contained on the front of the Visa Debit card.

In addition, Visa Debit also carries the CVV2 number (the three digits printed on the card’s signature panel). The Visa Debit card is also fully supported by the Verified by Visa (VbV) service. These risk solutions provide additional layers of cardholder authentication online, ensuring your transactions are safe.