120 Top Online Shopping Sites

What to check before you order from an online store

Most online orders arrive without trouble. Problems usually come from shops that are hard to reach once your money has gone, or from listings that hide the real seller.

Find out who you are actually buying from

On a marketplace, the platform and the seller are often different businesses. The platform runs the checkout, but a third-party seller may ship the item and handle returns. Look for the seller name on the product page and read reviews of that seller, not only of the platform. On a standalone shop, look for a company name, a physical address and a way to reach a person. CandorRated company pages show who runs the website where that can be found, how long the domain has been registered, and which contact details are published.

Read the delivery and returns pages first

• Where it ships from: an item sent from another country may take weeks and can carry import duties or taxes on arrival.
• Return window: check how many days you have, who pays return postage, and whether opened items are accepted.
• Refund method: some shops refund as store credit rather than money back to your card.

Pay in a way that protects you

Card payments and established payment services usually give you a way to dispute a charge if goods never arrive. Bank transfers, gift cards and crypto are much harder to recover. Be cautious if a shop pushes you toward one of those methods or offers a discount for using them.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• Prices far below the usual: a new site selling branded goods at a deep discount deserves extra checking. A domain registered only recently is worth noting.
• Tracking that never updates: keep screenshots of your order and the tracking page, and contact the shop in writing before your card's dispute window closes.
• Item not as described: compare product photos with buyer photos in reviews, and check size charts and material details.
• Memberships added at checkout: some stores add a paid plan by default. Read the final order summary before you confirm.

Use the filters on this page to narrow the list by country or city if you want a shop that ships locally or follows your own consumer rules.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if an online shop is genuine?

Look for a named business, a working contact method, clear returns terms and reviews spread over time. A shop with no address, no phone or email, and a domain that is only weeks old is not necessarily fake, but it gives you much less to go on.

Is a marketplace safer than a small independent store?

Not automatically. Marketplaces often run buyer protection schemes, but quality varies from seller to seller. A small store with a long record can be just as dependable.

What should I do if my order never arrives?

Contact the seller in writing and keep a record. If that fails, ask your card issuer or payment provider about a dispute, and leave a factual review describing what happened.