Social networks
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Knowing if an Instagram store is trustworthy is important to avoid falling for scams. The social network has been used by many brands as a showcase for their products. Some use the platform as a catalogue, while others make use of the Instagram Shop now allows the purchase of products directly on IGTV, in addition to the feed and Stories.
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However, according to Reclame Aqui, consumers have encountered problems when choosing to make in-app purchases. In 2019, the service registered an 86% increase in the number of complaints against the platform’s stores compared to the previous year, most of them about non-receipt of the purchased product. Thus, although it offers greater convenience, consumers should be careful to avoid falling into scams with stores on Instagram. Check out eight tips to ensure greater security when shopping online through the social network app.
1 of 9 How do I know if a store on Instagram is trustworthy? See buying tips — Photo: Disclosure/Facebook
How do you know if an Instagram store is trustworthy? See buying tips — Photo: Disclosure/Facebook
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1. Give preference to accounts that use Instagram Shop
Instagram Shop is aimed at commercial accounts and allows you to link products and prices directly to photographs. Due to its usage criteria, the feature guarantees more peace of mind for the consumer. To access the function, the store profile must pass a filter that involves requirements such as linking to a website and a certain level of trustworthiness, such as the number of followers and reputation on the networks.
The in-app purchase payment function is not available in Brazil. However, the requirements for adapting to Instagram’s policies are the same, which gives more security to the pages that use the tool.
2 of 9 Instagram Shopping requires requirements that provide greater security at the time of purchase — Photo: Divulgação/Instagram
Instagram Shopping demands requirements that provide greater security at the time of purchase — Photo: Divulgação/Instagram
2. Check if there is a real physical or online store
One of the most traditional ways to prove the veracity and reliability of a store on Instagram is to make sure that there is a physical store or website for the establishment. Although commercial profiles on Instagram do not always have other structures outside the platform, the existence of commerce outside the social network can offer greater peace of mind to the user, especially in cases of establishments that are already consolidated and known to be trustworthy.
However, it is important to pay attention to the details and check whether the profile actually belongs to the establishment to which it refers. It’s not uncommon to find fake profiles that pose as store accounts known to scam and steal consumer data.
3 of 9 Researching the existence of a physical store can provide greater security to the buyer — Photo: João Gabriel Balbi/TechTudo
Searching for the existence of a physical store can provide greater security to the buyer — Photo: João Gabriel Balbi/TechTudo
3. Check the payment methods accepted by the store
The user should be suspicious of stores that only accept payments by bank transfer or bank deposit. This is because payments made by credit card usually work with secure intermediary platforms, which verify the authenticity of the establishment before releasing the payment.
Before making purchases through Instagram, check if the store accepts payments with guaranteed platforms such as PayPal, PagSeguro and MercadoPago, for example. Even if there is possible fraud, the path to recovering the money can become less complicated.
4 out of 9 Guaranteed payment platforms are safer — Photo: Helito Beggiora/TechTudo
Guaranteed payment platforms are safer — Photo: Helito Beggiora/TechTudo
4. Verify that followers and interactions are real
The existence of real followers and interactions with the profile should be a priority before making a purchase via Instagram. Although the platform’s terms of use prohibit buying followers and superficial interactions, the practice is common and can lead the user to believe that a store with a lot of engagement is trustworthy. An account with a high number of followers who are not real people, therefore, may indicate a fraudulent profile created to apply scams.
5 of 9 Interactions between fake accounts can generate impression of trust in the profile — Photo: Carolina Oliveira/TechTudo
Interactions between fake accounts can generate impression of trust in the profile — Photo: Carolina Oliveira/TechTudo
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5. Check if it is a company with CNPJ
Another way to check if the store is trustworthy is to check if there is, behind, a company with CNPJ. In addition to helping to check if the profile is real, registration facilitates any complaints with Procon or in lawsuits, if necessary. Before proceeding with the purchase, check if the profile provides this data and consult the number in the IRS database, which allows access to the registration status of any CNPJ.
6 de 9 Consultation with the CNPJ Registration and Registration Status can be done free of charge on the IRS website — Photo: Reproduction/Rodrigo Fernandes
Consultation with the Proof of Registration and Registration Status with the CNPJ can be done free of charge on the IRS website — Photo: Reproduction/Rodrigo Fernandes
6. Check customer ratings
Customer reviews are a good barometer of a store’s reputation. Sites like the Brazilian Complain here, for example, can provide an overview of how consumers feel about shopping experiences at a particular store.
In the case of Instagram stores, it’s also worth searching on the platform itself, using hashtags with the store’s name or on the tagging tab of the seller profile. This way, it is possible to have a general idea of what customers are saying about the establishment before buying.
7 of 9 Check customer reviews on Reclame Aqui — Photo: Gabrielle Lancellotti/TechTudo
Check customer reviews on Reclame Aqui — Photo: Gabrielle Lancellotti/TechTudo
7. Check if the product photos are real
Always prioritize stores that use real photos in posts. While advertising photos are common in legitimate advertisements, the use of copyrighted images indicates greater assurance that the product actually exists. In addition, the practice reduces the risk of post-purchase dissatisfaction due to the illusion caused by highly edited publicity photos, which do not always provide a real idea of the purchased item.
8 of 9 Make sure the photos in the ads are real — Photo: Reproduction/Rodrigo Fernandes
Make sure the photos in the ads are real — Photo: Reproduction/Rodrigo Fernandes
8. Compare prices with market prices
Prices that are too low are important clues that a store can be unreliable. When faced with Instagram ads, it’s worth checking prices at similar stores to see if the offer is far below the market standard. In this case, always be suspicious, as the resource can be used as bait to attract consumers to scams.
9 of 9 Compare prices to see if they’re real — Photo: Reproduction/Marvin Costa
Compare prices to see if they’re real — Photo: Reproduction/Marvin Costa
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