Online shopping is a massive phenomenon. In the United States alone, 200 million Americans, or nearly two-thirds of the population, shopped in person or online during Cyber Week in 2023—the 5 days running from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday.

This amounted to Americans spending a whopping $9.8 billion on Black Friday online sales, as well as a further $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday. 

According to marketing psychology speaker Johnson, Americans and online shopping are "enmeshed in a deep love affair." 

"There are many features that draw Americans in each year, especially on or around Black Friday. Online shopping appeals to many people deeply due to its convenience, offering the ability to browse and purchase products from the comfort of one's home or on the go, without the constraints of physical store hours," the host of the branding and human nature blogs explained to Bored Panda in an email.

"The act of browsing itself has become a pastime—a way to cope with stress, enjoy a nice pick me up, or to take a break from a monotonous day at work. And, of course, what begins as a simple, innocent browsing can lead to significant purchases,” he said.

Online shops often offer more variety and product availability than brick-and-mortar stores. So it's easier to find unique items online. On top of that, you've got the simple fact that online stores are accessible 24/7 and offer fast shipping. Oh, and there are the (often) convenient return policies to consider.

"Moreover, the availability of various digital payment methods and frequent special offers like those seen on Black Friday and Cyber Monday contribute to its popularity." It’s clear that there are plenty of reasons why online shopping is so appealing to so many people, not just in the US but all around the globe.

Marketing psychology speaker Johnson confirmed that scams are a big issue for e-commerce platforms and online shops alike. However, just because the problem is well-known doesn't mean that it's easy to tackle.

“The biggest and most difficult step that e-commerce platforms can take here is to have a better vetting process over their sellers. Put simply, there needs to be stricter verification processes for sellers and products, ensuring that only legitimate businesses and authentic items are allowed on platforms," the expert shared with Bored Panda.

"Enhanced transparency regarding product information, pricing, and seller details would help customers make informed decisions and identify potential scams more easily. This is difficult in practice, however, as this requires a lot of Quality Assurance oversight, which is difficult to effectively manage," he noted.

"E-commerce marketplaces are also incentivized to provide as many options as possible to their consumers, which often leads them to cut corners, or to look the other way when it comes to the quality and trustworthiness of these sellers."

Globally, e-commerce is a $6 trillion industry. Statista notes that how goods are bought and sold has significantly changed with the rise and spread of the internet. There are around 5 billion internet users on planet Earth, and this number is only going to grow. Naturally, online shopping will likely grow as well, as more people get access to the internet.

With the number of online shoppers only set to rise, this creates a lot of new opportunities for scammers, swindlers, and charlatans to trick them out of their hard-earned cash. The unfortunate reality is that far from everyone knows how to use the internet or shop online in a safe way.

Some folks simply haven’t had negative experiences with potential fraudsters yet. Others might be a bit naive. Still, others are feeling emotionally vulnerable, so they’re more easily manipulated. This is why getting educated about the types of scams that are out there and knowing how to stay calm under stress are so important.

However, this won’t make you invulnerable to getting scammed. No matter how up-to-date we all are, scammers will always come up with new ways to trick folks. The fight against scams is a never-ending one.

The fact of the matter is that every one of us can become the victim of a scam. No matter how intelligent, well-off, or experienced you might be, thinking that “it would never happen to me” is the wrong way to go about things. You need to stay vigilant when you can.

You need to consider that someone might try to take advantage of you with fancy promises. Especially if you’re going through a period of time when you’re vulnerable or feeling lost. This doesn’t mean mistrusting everyone you meet, but all of us could stand to be slightly more careful where money is involved. Especially if someone on the internet is promising to fulfill our deepest desires for very little payment.

Before you go buying up every awesome deal you come across on the internet, take some time to do at least some background research. Read the description of the product in full. Pay attention to the dimensions of the product, the shipping costs and time, as well as how the seller phrases everything.

Don’t give in to flowery language about how the product is the best thing ever and how you’d be lucky to get it because there’s not much left in stock.

Scammers and swindlers try to create situations that force you to make rash and impulsive decisions. If there’s a ticking clock scenario, the odds are that it’s useful for someone… That ‘someone’ most likely is not you. In these situations, make yourself pause for a little while. Take a deep breath, take a step back, and think about what you’re getting into.

With so many online marketplaces offering good sales throughout the year, there are often very few cases where there’s a genuine fear of missing out. It’s okay to say ‘no’ or to give yourself room to think. In the worst-case scenario, you can always grab the deal next time.

But don’t just listen to your logical and overly-rational voice of reason. Check in with your gut, too. If your instincts are screaming at you that something feels off, it’s best to listen to them. In our experience, our gut is right more often than not.

The seller’s history and reputation can tell you a lot about how (un)trustworthy they are. Don’t feel bad about checking out their profile and the reviews they’ve gotten from other customers. Though star ratings and comments won’t give you a nuanced picture, they can be good for a general overview of what the seller is like. You’ll also get to grips with how they solve problems with products if they do pop up.

Meanwhile, if you’re buying from a random website or marketplace, dig into the history of the company a little bit. Try to figure out where their headquarters are located. Check out whether they actually make the products they’re selling or if they’re simply an intermediary that’s reselling cheap stuff at a premium.

Have you ever gotten scammed when shopping online? What’s the weirdest mixup you’ve experienced when buying something off the internet, dear Pandas? What do you do to stay ahead of potential scams? You can tell us all about it in the comment section at the bottom of this post. Meanwhile, for some more hilarious and bizarre online shopping fails, check out Bored Panda’s earlier articles.