Online shopping guide

Step 1

Check a shop before purchase

Before ordering, look at the exact address of the site, the legal information, the means of contact, the general conditions of sale, the recent opinions and the consistency of prices. A serious shop clearly displays its identity, its customer service and its conditions. The HTTPS lock indicates that the connection is encrypted, but it does not prove to itself that the merchant is reliable, so we need to examine several signals together.

Also observe the general quality of the information. Verifiable coordinates, accessible legal pages, explained deadlines and an understandable return policy are more useful than a speech filled with promises. Conversely, a very recent field, inconsistent texts, permanent reductions or lack of precise contact should encourage further research.

• Check the domain, HTTPS lock and legal information.
• Read recent reviews outside the merchant site.
• Beware of abnormally low prices or artificial emergencies.
• Keep catches, order confirmation and invoice.

Step 2

Compare price, delivery and service

The best price displayed is not always the best purchase. Compare the total price with delivery, the announced time, the actual availability, the return policy, the guarantees and the level of accompaniment in case of a problem. Two products presented at the same price can finally cost different amounts once the shipping costs, the mandatory options or the return costs are added.

To compare correctly, open the offers side by side and note the same criteria for each. Check that the references, dimensions, capacities, colors or accessories included are really the same. For an important purchase, the clarity of the after-sales service and the ease of reaching an advisor can justify a small price difference.

Step 3

Buy on a marketplace

On a marketplace, the platform and the seller can be two different players. The platform puts the offer forward and sometimes facilitates payment, while a third party merchant can fix the price, ship the product and provide all or part of the after-sales service. So look who sells, who ships, where the parcel comes from, what guarantees apply and what recourse is possible if the seller does not respond.

Check the merchant's card, its seniority when it is indicated, its recent evaluations and the comments about the product you are interested in. Also check whether the returns go through the platform or directly through the seller. This difference can change the deadlines, the fees and the simplicity of a refund.

• Identify the name of the seller displayed near the price or the purchase button.
• Check whether the package is shipped by the platform or by a third party.
• Read the return conditions specific to the offer, not only those of the site.
• Focus on a payment made in the official marketplace interface.

Step 4

Find a French shop

The directory indicates French actors when the information is available. This does not replace a legal verification, but helps to distinguish the signs installed in France from international platforms active on the French market. A site written in French or using a domain name in ".fr" is not always enough to determine where the company is actually located.

If this criterion is important to you, see the legal notice, the company's address, the seller's identity and the place of shipment. A French brand can manufacture elsewhere, while a foreign company can have a subsidiary, stock or customer service in France. The right benchmark therefore depends on what you are looking for: proximity to the seller, origin of the product, place of manufacture or ease of after-sales service.

131 Fashion & accessories Clothing, footwear, leather goods, jewellery and accessories 3872 Specialist shops Online brands and businesses to explore by name or keyword 27 Children & baby Puerticulture, clothing, toys, furniture and awakening 17 Pets Food, accessories, hygiene and animal health 66 Sport & outdoors Running, fitness, cycling, mountain and group sports 12 Hunting, shooting & gun shops Armouries, sport shooting, hunting, optics and regulated equipment 121 Groceries & food Drive, supermarkets, grocery stores, wines, organic 110 Home & garden Decoration, DIY, Bedding, Kitchen and Garden 15 Cars & mobility Parts, tyres, maintenance, equipment and mobility 48 Technology & computing Computers, smartphones, components, repackaged 35 TV, audio & home appliances Image, sound, household appliances, connected house 80 Books, culture & leisure Books, games, toys, streaming, ticketing 93 Beauty, health & wellbeing Cosmetics, Parapharmaceuticals, Care and Nutrition 78 Travel & tourism Flights, hotels, stays, transport and activities 11 Telecoms & subscriptions Fibre, internet box, mobile plans and phones 15 Gifts & flowers Bouquets, plants, boxes, experiences and gift ideas 11 Second-hand & refurbished Used fashion, classifieds and repackaged products 12 Energy & home renovation Electricity, gas, energy renovation and charging 61 Banking & insurance Online banking, insurance, mutual insurance 34 Property Announcements, agencies, estimate, rental 57 Services Craftsmen, courses, health, payment, benefits 91 Business supplies & services Supplies, cloud, management, printing, B2B

Step 5

Returns, guarantees and documents

Prior to payment, identify the conditions of return, any exclusions, your expenses and the contact channel to be used. Check in particular the time limit indicated, the state in which the product is to be returned and the procedure for obtaining a label or a return authorization. Certain personalized, unsealed or hygiene-related items may follow specific rules clearly specified by the merchant.

After the purchase, keep the summary, invoice, tracking number and conditions of sale applicable on the day of the order. In case of difficulty, first contact the seller with a factual request: order number, date, product concerned, problem found and desired solution. Keeping a written record of the exchanges makes it easier to track the file.