Review
Shop Smart What To Check Before You Buy From An Instagram Only Business
Hindustan Times
So, before you open your UPI or type in your card details, here are a few checks that could save you a lot of money and a frustrating week in your DMs. Track the path
So, before you open your UPI or type in your card details, here are a few checks that could save you a lot of money and a frustrating week in your DMs.
Track the path. Reverse image search is your best friend. Screenshot the item, run it through Google Lens and see where that image has actually been. Is it popping up on ten different dropshipping sites? Shady. Is it lifted off a legitimate brand’s website? Shadier. Also worth noting: If the product photos look suspiciously perfect – no wrinkles, no shadows, skin that defies physics – that’s AI doing the modelling, not an actual human in an actual garment.
Anthony Mascarenhas, secretary of the Consumer Welfare Association Mumbai, says that it is crucial to check if there’s a manufacturer listed somewhere on a brand’s page or site. “That’s because, if you receive defective goods and decide to take legal action, it’s the manufacturer who will be held liable.”
Check the review mirror. The comment section is a gold mine, if the seller hasn’t already locked it up. Disabled comments should send alarm bells off. And if the comments are open but full of unanswered complaints, that’s not much better. A seller who ignores “where is my order?!” in public is definitely ignoring it in your DMs too.
Don’t trust glowing testimonials on their own page, as those are easy to curate. Reddit is where the unfiltered truth lives. Search the brand name and see what comes up. If they’ve taken someone’s money and vanished, there’s a reasonable chance a very angry stranger has already documented the whole thing.
Cover yourself. The basic sweep is done. Now assume things could still go wrong. Before you pay, start documenting. Screenshot the product listing, the price, the seller’s bio, the promises they’ve made in their highlights. Also screenshot every conversation. If they block you post-payment (it happens), you’ll want evidence. Follow the page from a second account too, so a sudden rebrand doesn’t catch you completely off guard.
Most small sellers will ask you to pay in advance. “But if there is no physical presence of the brand, you have to be more cautious,” says Palash Singhai, Advocate on Record at the Supreme Court. Here’s a pro-tip: Credit card payments are easier to refund; UPI and NEFT usually make the process harder.