Online Shopping in Egypt is relatively a new concept. It all began with a bunch of Facebook pages where young ladies purchased random stuff from abroad and organized open days or placed the items for Sale, or piled up people’s orders, took deposits and made orders from international websites. Business grew even bigger especially with the absence of high-quality local products; more shopping pages have been created, more open days have been organized and even real shopping sites got established. Still, many people feel intimidated by the whole online shopping experience.
So, here are some tips which will guide you get the best deals;
Tips & Tricks: Online Shopping in Egypt
Listen to Your Inner Voice.
If you’re not sure about a specific product, or feel that a certain shop is a bit fishy, don’t buy anything.
Do a Background Check!
Whether you’re dealing with a simple Facebook page with thousands of likes or a sophisticated shopping site where products seem to be airbrushed, you need to check first if any of your friends or family had a good shopping experience dealing with them. If not, check Social media channels and look for customers’ testimonials or even complaints. Let’s say that you heard about this new shopping site and thought it has a nice interface, but then you log onto their Facebook page and read lots of angry comments from unsatisfied customers. Would you really want to deal with a store with an apparent service malfunction?
Compare Prices.
Sometimes prices differ from one sit to another. You will be also surprised to know that some products are much more affordable when your buy them from the main designers’ outlets rather than through intermediaries which usually add additional fees. So, before you make any hasty decision, take some time to compare prices.
Double-Check Their Return and/or Refund Policy.
There is a high probability that you might not be satisfied with the quality of the products purchased. That is why it is very important that you make sure that you can easily exchange or even return the items.
Use the Most Convenient Payment Method.
If you want to purchase some items from an Egypt-based site, you can opt for the cash-on delivery option. The good news is most of the sites here have this alternative to make life easier for their clients. If you are only faced with a Credit Card option, make sure the site is fully secured.
Check If They Have Safe Internet Connection.
Let’s assume that you will pay via a credit card! Before you insert your confidential digits, check if there is a closed padlock on your web browser’s address bar or a URL address that begins with shttp or https. This indicates that the purchase is encrypted or secured.
Make Sure the Products Are Suitable for Egyptian Surroundings.
This is essential when you decide to buy heavy-duty products such as home appliances from foreign websites. You might find that certain products are tested and certified in countries other than Egypt. Thus, you should contact the website’s customer service and ask if the intended product would work adequately in your own country.
Inquire about the Shipping Fees & Taxes.
Shipping to Egypt can be quite tiresome and expensive. Thankfully, some international websites, especially China-based websites, provide Free Standard Shipping to Egypt. Regardless of the long time it might take to receive your order, you’d probably save a lot of money.
Print Out Your Order.
Once you make an order, pay the fees needed via credit card or any other option, you will be directed to a age confirming receiving your order. Usually, such pages have tracking information, Customer Service phone number or email, in addition to other info that might come in handy in case you face any problem or have queries. Print out this page(s) or even save a screenshot.
Track Your Order.
A lot of websites provide tracking information for their clients. In this way, you will be able to track your order easily through the official websites of shipping companies.
Inspect Your Items.
Once you finally receive your order, inspect it right away to make sure that the items are of high-quality and in a good shape.
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