From sellers who defraud their customers or a misunderstanding of what value means, ‘cheap’ isn’t always a good thing.
We all want to spend less and get more for our money. This is what drives prices down and keeps businesses competitive. But unfortunately, while there are plenty of businesses providing products and services for great value, there will always be those who want to make a quick buck by cheating you into what you think is a good deal.
From sellers who defraud their customers to a more fundamental misunderstanding of what value means, ‘cheap’ isn’t always a good thing. Here are 3 ways to identify when it’s best to say no and spend a little more elsewhere.
Counterfeit Products
Fraud can be difficult to spot in business and as more people welcome shopping on social media, working out what is real value can be tough. While you can, and should, report a seller on facebook if you believe that they are selling a counterfeit product, it can be tough for consumers to tell them apart.
The best thing to do is to research the product you are looking for and compare the prices. If something is significantly cheaper than elsewhere, it could well be a fake. Similarly, products that are poorly packaged, look as though they have been rushed and come from websites with spelling mistakes and other issues, it’s a good idea to step away.
Too Good to Be True
Sometimes you can spot a deal online that looks amazing but beware of products or services that appear to be too good to be true. The likelihood is that they are exactly that. Scammers often use prices that are too good to be true because they are preying on the vulnerable who might not realize until it’s too late. This is a horrible thought but for most people, it means that scams are quite easy to spot.
Even though you might loathe walking away from a brilliant deal, the reality is that whether you receive a product or not, it won’t be the standard or quality you were lead to believe.
Unethical Products
One of the worst traits of business is that in the constant pursuit of “better” prices and greater profits, people and the planet tend to suffer. You deserve a proper wage and you probably believe the same for all workers. However, many products are cheap because they have been made by people living in terrible conditions, earning very little or because they have used damaging methods to produce them. Unethical business is everywhere.
Photo by Daniel von Appen on Unsplash
Ethical shopping is finally gaining traction with the environmental crisis and people are beginning to realize the implications of cheap production and labor. With this in mind, people are now much more likely to spend a little more on a product they know is long-lasting, well made and ethically produced.
Being cheap is never a good thing and there are a lot of distasteful factors that go into significantly reducing the cost of a product. If you want to be an ethical shopper and reduce the chances of being ripped off, the best thing to do research what things are actually worth and pay accordingly. You’ll be surprised by what you find.
