BEFORE Buying..How to check out the legitamacy of Companies?

hollydays

There are plenty of posts here from buyers who have ordered online,then found the company is not up to scratch.

I will just add a few things I do to check out a company,but I am no techy (no- cant even post links!)so I will start this off.....

Google the company plus the word scam
google the company plus the word problem
google the company plus the word review

Search by name on this site..

check them out on Companies House website-"webcheck" section
www.companieshouse.gov.uk
Obviously not all companies are on here-but if they are you can find out info.

google any postcodes listed,together with the premesis number-this usually brings up interesting stuff. eg SW1 3QR 30

Thats really basic stuff,but it usually works for me.
Ps this is not trying to get at anyone who is venting...Vent away!

imoneyop

If you're going to Google the company then make sure that you put + in front of the company name, otherwise you'll just get back lots of results for "scam", "problem" and "review", which will have no relation to the company in question.

superscaper

How can you not post links? It's literally just copying and pasting, e.g. http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/index.shtml

hollydays

Pasting..Whats wallpaper got to do do with it?.

superscaper

hollydays wrote: »

pasting..Whats wallpaper got to do do with it?.

:rolleyes: even assuming you weren't being facetious, you could even simply type out the website and it would still automatically convert into a link. :cool:

hollydays

............true..ok I can post website names

tinkerbell84

I had an argument with a bloke a couple of weeks ago about the lack of security on his website.

I was about to order when I noticed that there was no padlock on the bottom bar, and no 'https' in the address bar. It was the page asking for address and payment card details.

So I phoned and asked if there was a secure way to order. The bloke advised me to order through the website. "But it's not secure," I said. He insisted it was. When I said there was no security padlock he told me there was one. It's a .jpeg of a padlock on the page itself. :rolleyes:

He insisted that it meant his site was secure.

I didn't order.

But it appears he's been trading on that site for years, which is scary!

vikingaero

Here's my top tips:

(1) Does the website shop look like a £29.99 off the shelf package?

(2) Speeling mistakes on the products and on the website - sloppy presentation usually = sloppy service.

(3) Click contact us. If the address is vague then type in the postcode on Multimap, click Hybrid and check if it is a house or offices or a warehouse. Ask yourself if you want to order from someone who hides their address or uses a PO Box. If you click contact us and an outlook email box pop-up appears then avoid.

(4) Telephone numbers. Anyone can get an 0870/0845 number. If they use a normal number great. I'll be more likely to buy from them. If the number listed is a 070 follow me number or a mobile number then ask why?

(5) Googling addresses gives out details of virtual offices and rent by the hour offices such as Regus. If the company has a Central London address in Mayfair then ask why a crappy tinbox company can afford hundreds of thousands a year in rent? Bond Street or Regent Street addresses are obvious rent-a-office locations and if the address is listed as: "Suite 999".

(6) PayPal. Yes it has helped some people with companies such as Bizits but if I see PayPal I automatically avoid. As much as PayPal is of benefit to people it is also the scammers best friend. Put PayPal on a scuzzy website with no contact details and I'm off.

(7) Returns Authorisation Number (RAN, RMA whatever) Use these and you can take a hike. I even avoid ebuyer unless I can help it.

(8) email only contact or enotes - enough said. Bye!

Tea3

I may direct some of our customers to this thread lol - we had one customer recently who informed us we were not a proper company as she could not find us on companies house records!!! I tried to explain to her that companies can often chose not to be a registered company (ltd) and the reason why we are not registered yet but will be from April 08. We have secure website (padlock https etc), several years trading, great feedback with reviews on lots of forums going from a few years ago to current and have all contact info, address (which I showed her how to check was valid), phone number, run several websites - both selling and information ones, full refund policy in place etc yet she still insisted we were not proper and above board simply because not on Companies House - arghhhh!

superscaper

Tea3 wrote: »

I may direct some of our customers to this thread lol - we had one customer recently who informed us we were not a proper company as she could not find us on companies house records!!! I tried to explain to her that companies can often chose not to be a registered company (ltd) and the reason why we are not registered yet but will be from April 08. We have secure website (padlock https etc), several years trading, great feedback with reviews on lots of forums going from a few years ago to current and have all contact info, address (which I showed her how to check was valid), phone number, run several websites - both selling and information ones, full refund policy in place etc yet she still insisted we were not proper and above board simply because not on Companies House - arghhhh!

Do you really need their custom in the end. People like that if they can't get their facts straight before buying... can you imagine what they'll be like for aftersales service. They'd probably cost you in the long run. Good on people for being vigilant but there's some truth to a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. Anyone can start a legitimate business and that's not the same as being an incorporated company which isn't necessarily always the best route. And conversely just being a limited company on companies house doesn't make you any more legitimate. There's plenty of cowboys out there, all you need is two signatures and is it something like £40 to become ltd. Nobody knows everything but simply not acknowledging or learning from your ignorance is just plain daft. She'll probably end up hoisting her own petard by placing 100% faith in a cowboy outfit just because they've got a registered number.

Tea3

superscaper wrote: »

Do you really need their custom in the end. People like that if they can't get their facts straight before buying... can you imagine what they'll be like for aftersales service. They'd probably cost you in the long run.

Could not agree more - I am sure our business could handle losing her order:D but did not want her telling others her ''they are fraudsters'' rubbish. She genuinely believed we were not a proper business as not on companies house and like you I figured she would end up in trouble with someone - either by saying slanderous things about some legitimate company or by ordering from some fly-by-night numpty using another companies name that is registered etc.
Customers eh? How less stressful our life would be without them :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Love them all really