Page 10 - Lets Talk Winter 2015 | Lipton Chartered Accountants
P. 10
ONLINE ShOPPINg?
cAvEAT EmPTOR!
Bryan Walderman, BA, MCP, MCSA – Manager of IT Services
Caveat emptor is still good advice in the
online era.
The world has changed dramatically since
caveat emptor, Latin for “Let the Buyer
Beware,” was first spoken. Unfortunately,
the principle still applies today, even in an
online marketplace. While ecommerce has
become viable and even mainstream for
many companies, it still holds potential risks
for individual consumers and businesses.
While identity theft is a new risk for those
purchasers who reveal too much information
to unsecure websites, traditional methods of
deception can still relieve you of your cash.
Consider the following before you purchase
online:
Location
Where is the supplier located? Purchasing
from an out-of-province or out-of-
country supplier can potentially introduce
complications. If you receive goods of inferior
quality, shipping costs may make returning
the product an unattractive proposition.
Even worse, what if you don’t receive the
goods for which you have already paid?
Since consumer protection laws may vary
from country to country or even province to
province, taking the seller to court might not
be worth the cost, time and effort required.
Warranty
Products sold in Canada usually carry
a warranty, especially for the Canadian
|
|
Accounting & Assurance Tax Business Advisory
10
cAvEAT EmPTOR!
Bryan Walderman, BA, MCP, MCSA – Manager of IT Services
Caveat emptor is still good advice in the
online era.
The world has changed dramatically since
caveat emptor, Latin for “Let the Buyer
Beware,” was first spoken. Unfortunately,
the principle still applies today, even in an
online marketplace. While ecommerce has
become viable and even mainstream for
many companies, it still holds potential risks
for individual consumers and businesses.
While identity theft is a new risk for those
purchasers who reveal too much information
to unsecure websites, traditional methods of
deception can still relieve you of your cash.
Consider the following before you purchase
online:
Location
Where is the supplier located? Purchasing
from an out-of-province or out-of-
country supplier can potentially introduce
complications. If you receive goods of inferior
quality, shipping costs may make returning
the product an unattractive proposition.
Even worse, what if you don’t receive the
goods for which you have already paid?
Since consumer protection laws may vary
from country to country or even province to
province, taking the seller to court might not
be worth the cost, time and effort required.
Warranty
Products sold in Canada usually carry
a warranty, especially for the Canadian
|
|
Accounting & Assurance Tax Business Advisory
10
