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Purchase checklists
Before and after the order
Eighteen checklists to buy online
Choose the situation that looks like your purchase. Each list highlights the information to be collected and the evidence to be kept, with a detailed guide if you need to deepen.
In each detailed guide, you can tick the final checklist as you read. For a specific product, also look for the guide suitable for your universe .
A shop you don't know
The challenge is to identify the company that is cashing and confirm that the area consulted is its own.
Compare the seller's name, address and contact details in the legal notices and terms of sale. Read the site address after each redirection, especially before payment. Search for recent and detailed off-site reviews, without deducing the reliability of an isolated note. Check the price delivered, the delay and the return fees before creating an account.
Check a store in detail
Open the checklist to tick : A shop you don't know
A product sold on a marketplace
The platform, seller and sender can be different, and their role must remain clear until the basket is validated.
Take the words "sold by" and "sold by" on the selected offer. Control the seller's country, place of dispatch and return conditions specific to this offer. Compare the reference, condition and accessories of the product in the sheet and then in the basket. Keep exchanges and payments in the platform's official route.
Identify the actual seller
Open the checklist to tick : A product sold on a marketplace
A costly or bulky purchase
Cost and post-order constraints often weigh more than a small price difference.
Note the complete reference, product dimensions and package sizes. Compare the price with delivery, installation, recovery and necessary options. Check access to the home, the date announced and the appointment arrangements. Read the costs of returning a bulky package and identify the contact person for the after-sales service.
Prepare a large delivery
Open the checklist to tick : A costly or bulky purchase
An advertisement of opportunity or repackaging
General grades and promises do not always describe the actual state of the proposed product.
Request or view photos of the specific product and description of defects. Check battery, compatibility, locking and accessories for a device. Distinguish private seller, professional seller and platform. Compare the price delivered with an equivalent new model and the applicable guarantees.
Compare occasion and repackaged
Open the checklist to tick : An ad for occasion or repackaged
A subscription or a promotional price
The first month may not be representative of the cost over the duration of the service.
Calculate the total over the proposed period, including the rate after promotion. Identify commitment, renewal, activation fees and termination fees. Confirm coverage, eligibility or compatibility at the place of use. Keep the contractual summary and the terms of termination.
Compare a subscription
Open the checklist to tick : A subscription or a promotional price
A package that is late, absent or damaged
Accurate chronology and easy-to-read evidence make reporting more effective.
Keep the confirmation, tracking and delivery date announced. Photograph the package, label and product if an anomaly is visible. Describe the facts in writing to the seller or platform, with the order number. Keep the reply, proof of deposit in case of return and record of the refund.
Resolve a delivery problem
Open the checklist to tick : A package that is late, absent or damaged
An order sent from a country outside the European Union
The price displayed and the delivery time may not describe the full cost and route of the order.
Identify the seller, the country of dispatch and the country from which the return will have to leave. Verify that taxes and customs clearance fees are included in the price paid. Compare the total cost and the time frame with an offer for the same reference. Keep the product sheet, summary and transport documents for any request after purchase.
Preparing a purchase outside the European Union
Open the checklist to tick : An order sent from a country outside the European Union
A toy or child care item
Age, use, warnings and exact reference take precedence over presentation only.
Read the age or size indicated, warnings and conditions of use. Compare manufacturer's reference, dimensions and accessories included. Control the security information and possible reminders related to the model. Keep the package leaflet, invoice and reference for information after delivery.
Check the safety of a child's item
Open the checklist to tick : A toy or a child care item
A travel or stay reservation
Two similar offers may include very different baggage, modification conditions or services.
Compare the dates, times, locations, occupants and services actually included. Add luggage, taxes and service charges to the departure amount. Read change and cancellation conditions before paying. Keep confirmation, booking references and contact details of the provider.
Compare travel bookings
Open the checklist to tick : A travel or stay reservation
Renovation works ordered online
A useful estimate describes the work, equipment, responsible company and payment steps.
Verify the company's identity and the qualifications announced in the appropriate official sources. Compare quantities, references, installation, finishes and evacuation on quotes of the same perimeter. Schedule, subcontract and schedule prior to signature. Keep the accepted estimate, invoices and photos at the time of receipt of the work.
Compare renovation quotes
Open the checklist to tick : Renovation works ordered online
One payment in multiple times
Small deadlines may mask a total cost or a schedule that is not well suited to your budget.
Compare the total amount payable with the cash price, including fees and services. Record the number of dues, their dates and the means of payment used. Read the conditions in case of delay, return of the product or cancellation. Keep the accepted schedule and confirmations of each payment.
Understand a split payment
Open the checklist to tick : A payment in several times
A personalized gift to offer on a specific date
The manufacturing time adds to the transport and an error in the transmitted text can make the gift unusable.
Read the spelling, accents, date and final preview of customization. Check dimensions, material, contents of the box and packing mode. Add manufacture and transport to appreciate the date of receipt announced. Keep the model validated, confirmation and exchanges with the seller.
Understanding the conditions of a gift for purchase
Open the checklist to tick : A personalized gift to offer on a specific date
A skincare or cosmetic product
Two formats with the same name may differ in composition, capacity or use.
Read the list of ingredients and the precautions indicated for the selected reference. Compare the capacity and reduce the price to the same unit. Check shade, variant, format and storage conditions. Keep the lot number and invoice if a question occurs after receipt.
Compare cosmetics
Open the checklist to tick : A skincare or cosmetic product
An accessory that must be compatible
The general category of product does not prove that it works with your device, vehicle or installation.
Remove the complete reference and version of the equipment already owned. Control connectors, dimensions, power and prerequisites specified by the manufacturer. Check what is included: adapter, fastening, cable or license. Request written confirmation from the seller if the form remains ambiguous.
Check equipment before purchase
Open the checklist to tick : An accessory that must be compatible
Food or food supplied
Packaging, substitutions and delivery niche change the actual value of the basket.
Compare weight, unit price, composition and allergens indicated. Control the substitution policy and processing of missing items. Choose a niche that is compatible with the reception of fresh products. Check the received basket and quickly report any errors with specific items.
Compare online shopping
Open the checklist to tick : Food or food delivered
A home service provision
The price only makes sense if the perimeter, the operator and the necessary equipment are defined.
Describe the location, task, estimated duration and access constraints. Specify any additional supplies, travel and expenses. Identify the company or person who will perform and bill the service. Keep the estimate, exchanges and an account of the intervention.
Read a delivery quote
Open the checklist to tick : A service provision at home
Online insurance
Two nearby contributions may cover different risks with separate deductibles and ceilings.
Describe the risk to be covered and compare the guarantees of each formula. See exclusions, deductibles, ceilings and time limits indicated in contractual documents. Check the reported information and the claim procedure. Keep quotation, package leaflet, accepted conditions and any certificate.
Verify commitment and termination
Open the checklist to tick : Online insurance
Software or professional digital service
The call price does not always describe the included users, assistance or data recovery.
List the required functions, number of users and integrations. Compare usage limits, storage, assistance and price after the trial period. Check the conditions for renewal and the possibilities of exporting data. Keep the summary of the offer and test a real course before engagement.
Compare the conditions of a digital service
Open the checklist to tick : Software or professional digital service