Online payments, which one to choose?

How to Pay Online Safely?

Here is a rundown of the most popular payment methods and a description of their strengths and weaknesses:

The Credit Card Is the Most Traditional Payment Method

If it is connected to a bank account, it has a high ceiling and provides for a deferred debit of transactions. Cards are accepted all over the world. It has high protection against fraud. They are advisable to pay online to those consumers who have fixed income and have good control over their expenses.

The rechargeable or prepaid card is not connected to a current account, but works thanks to a payment of money that goes to “load” the ceiling before use.

It is suitable for young people who have no fixed income or current account and who use this tool occasionally, also because it is accepted to pay online generally without additional expenses.

They are a good solution for those who still wary of buying on the internet, but the online shopping advantages do not end there: the prepaid cards are easy and quick to obtain, they prevent (even the most distracted of consumers) from exceeding the budget by having to comply with the recharge of the card; they do not reserve the surprise of interest (such as some traditional credit cards or revolving credit cards ), in internet purchases they do not involve additional expenses and indeed, in the case of scams, the damage is “limited” because it is limited to recharging.

e-commerce

However, there are some drawbacks, starting with certain ancillary costs: many provide for an activation fee (between 5 and 30 euros), while the cost of each top-up can reach up to 5 euros. But above all they are not recommended if you intend to purchase a service that you pay periodically (as it can be, for example, a web space or a subscription) because the prepaid card must be sufficiently recharged or it must be recharged from time to time for small amounts(by paying the top-up fees again). But what can most embarrass a consumer who intends to use a rechargeable card for online shopping it concerns the fact that relying on different international circuits, the commissions on transactions vary and some merchants could charge us significant costs (without saying that it will be good to verify that the respective circuit is accepted at the sites on which we usually shop).

In conclusion, it must be said that bank transfer and cash on delivery are undoubtedly the least convenient or economical methods to pay online: in the “cost” of these methods we consider that, for example, payment by bank transfer delays the management of the order because the seller is waiting for credit to his account. It can usually take 4-5 days before the order is taken into consideration. The payment mark, however, may increase the cost of goods as the courier delivery charges a premium for this type of payment, but it protects both in a bank scam that by the seller himself (who could do not deliver the goods to you).