How to Swipe Up Shop Smart: 5 tips from TV Psychologist, Emma Kenny

Social media sites have transformed in recent years, making it easier and quicker for us to shop online. Whether it’s following a link from an advert or scrolling through the feed of your favourite influencer; all it takes is a simple click or swipe of your screen.

Visa commissioned research which surveyed 2,000 UK consumers¹, revealing that the trend is on the rise, with Swipe Up Shopping accounting for 1 in 4 (25%) of all online purchases of those surveyed since lockdown began in March. If you’re like the one in ten (11%) Brits surveyed who have made a purchase via social media over the past few months, here are five top tips in collaboration with expert psychologist, Emma Kenny, to help make your next Swipe Up Shopping experience safe and seamless.

1. Shop around to find a bargain – With flash sales and influencer offers, Swipe Up Shopping can give us a sense of urgency you won’t necessarily find in store. So before you pay, check other websites, use price comparison sites and scout around for email sign-up offers to bag an even bigger bargain.
2. Press pause before you pay – Being able to purchase with only a few clicks or taps is amazing, but it can also make us feel less accountable for our actions. One in two (58%) of Swipe Up Shoppers surveyed said their purchase hadn’t lived up to expectations. To avoid purchase regret, pause or step away from the app for a few minutes before you buy. This acts as a circuit breaker to allow you to assess if you really need or want the purchase.  
3. Know thy influencer – Brands often work with influencers to help spread the word about a product and seeing something on your favourite influencer’s grid can help you imagine how it might look on you or in your home. Check the caption to see if there’s any reference to #ad, #sponsorship or #paid. It is also useful to check for positive comments and recommendations from other users or scroll down their feed to see if they’ve mentioned the product before.
4. Be aware of scammers and fraudsters – Just like any form of online shopping, when shopping via social sites, you should always remain cautious of ambitious scammers looking to take advantage. Remember that even though they’re using a platform you trust, you should still research the website, influencer, or the company that you’re purchasing from. A good way to see if a website has a secure connection is checking it begins with ‘https://’ as the ‘s’ suggests it’s secure. It’s also worth looking at reviews to see how other people have experienced a business.
5. Pay using a Visa debit or credit card – No matter how you like to shop, you can feel confident that you are paying safely and securely by using your Visa debit or credit card. Visa’s Zero Liability Policy means you won’t be held responsible for unauthorised or fraudulent charges made with your account. It also puts you in a position to make a chargeback or “dispute” claim if an item never arrived or wasn’t what you expected, and the seller is withholding a refund.

¹ Research commissioned by Visa and conducted by Opinium with 2,000 nationally representative UK adults between 18^th September 2020 and 22^nd September 2020