On 15 March, we celebrate World Consumer Rights Day. For the occasion, the European Consumer Centre of Latvia gives smart tips for your next online payments that will save you money and nerves.

Don’t let dark patterns manipulate you

Dark patterns are marketing tricks designed to manipulate us and persuade us to buy a product. These include statements such as, for example “only today 50 percent discount”.

Identifying dark patterns as such can help let the pressure bounce off you.

Our advice: Take your time and compare prices and alternative products before making a purchase decision.

Why you should double lock your mobile wallet

The Covid19 pandemic has led to a common attempt of touching as few surfaces as possible and contactless payment experienced a veritable boom. More and more consumers even us mobile wallets. In other words, smartphone apps which make it possible to store all bank and credit cards, plus travel tickets and membership data in one single place.

But isn’t it dangerous to have all this sensitive data somewhere together? What if I get hacked or lose my smartphone? In general, mobile wallets are considered secure. Your data is encrypted and cannot be seen by the trader or other persons.

Nevertheless, we advise you to opt for two-factor authentication and protect your wallet with an additional password, for example.

(Hidden) superpowers of the credit card

Online shops offer different payment methods, each of which has pros and cons. When paying by invoice, you do not have to reveal your bank details to the trader. On the other hand, there is a risk of missing the deadline. Payment services like PayPal or Klarna mostly offer buyer protection. However, in case of a problem, communication can be more complicated, since an additional party is involved.

The credit card is not only considered a secure means of payment, but also holds another advantage: If there is a problem of non-delivery or even fraud, for example, the payment can be cancelled in many cases thanks to a chargeback procedure. To do this, contact your bank. Important to know: You must be able to prove that you have attempted to clarify the situation with the trader.

How price drop alerts can make your live easier

Ahead of promotion days like Black Friday, some shops raise prices, only to lower them again and market them as discounts.

Our tip: Watch and compare prices for your dream product throughout the year.

You can also set price alerts using free online tools.