Teen Forums - Teen Chat, Teen Help, Teen Advice & Support

Hello!
OK, so I want to buy some new clothes but they don't sell the sort of shirts I want to buy around me. So basically I want to buy some band shirts and stuff online, does anyone know of any good sites?
Also, my main question is that I need to make sure the sites are safe - any way to make sure it's legitimate?

Just go on the sites of the brand you want, all the original ones are safe

Well, if it's legitimate you'll likely have heard of it! But on a more critical note; watch out for an overabundance of advertising, pop-ups, that sort of thing; most retail websites have a short, simple URL that contains the name of the brand, avoiding numbers and an incomprehensible mash of symbols; you can check for awards of excellence or an affiliation with a safe shopping website, normally found at the bottom of the shop's page.
A useful way to tell is to look up the site's URL with this website, http://domaintools.com/ to see how long it's been registered. If possible, check to see if its actual amount of time on-line coincide's with the site's claim.

Lastly, on all sites whereon there's a financial transaction, make sure the page for payments is secured. The URL should begin with https as opposed to the normal http, and, if you're browsing with IE, the padlock icon should be visible in the address bar.

There's ASOS.com, Topman.com, fatface.com, shop-bench.co.uk, newlook.co.uk ... it depends what you're into! Have a look at all of those though, there's a good chance something will appeal to you.
Also, Ebay and Amazon tend to have a lot of variety because they stock various sellers. Both are reputable websites, although there's always a slightly heightened risk of something fishy happening on Ebay because you're dealing foremost with individuals!

STOP. ARE YOU READING THE ABOVE POST?
If not, do it. I'm beginning to get the impression that 50% of TF is populated by literate parrots/sentient mirrors.

Thanks Bambi, I'll check them out first.
If it leads me to the paypal website, does that mean it's legit?
I mean it can't steal details from a different site, right?

Thanks again.x

PayPal is a really secure way to pay, so if you want to make transactions that way because you feel it's safer, go for it! Most websites support PayPal so it shouldn't be a problem - just make sure that the URL contains the official paypal.com and, again, has the padlock in your browser's address bar.

Taken from the official PayPal website:
"PayPal is a secure online payment method, which allows you to pay or get paid quickly and easily without sharing any of your financial information. We remember and safeguard your bank, credit or debit card details, so you don’t have to.

"When you pay with PayPal your financial details are never shared with sellers or retailers, so you’re more protected against fraud. We also protect your purchase in the unlikely event that something goes wrong."

STOP. ARE YOU READING THE ABOVE POST?
If not, do it. I'm beginning to get the impression that 50% of TF is populated by literate parrots/sentient mirrors.

It is very easy for any website to set up a Paypal account and allow their customers to use it, I wouldnt trust something solely from that. As Bambi Vision has said, it is a good idea to check how long the sites been online, perhaps search on Google for customer reviews with "shop name reviews" although theyre not always legit, brand names are very unlikely to rip a customer off or be a scam so trusting them would be your best bet and eBay is great as you can always open a dispute and claim your money back if the item isnt as described, broken on arrival etc

Ah right. I guess you're right, scams sites don't make it much.

Wow, I've been in Topman loads of times but I never noticed how good some of their clothes are.
Thanks Bambi, I'm checking out all the ones you listed.