Our July Offer proceeds apace.
Three days have passed already, but there are still three days left to save 15% on everything in our online shop!
Remember, you need to use coupon code July_Offer_2016_15%OFF to get your discount.
Copy and paste the coupon code into the box in your shopping cart. To copy and paste the code, select it, then ‘control c’ to copy and ‘control v’ to paste.
O.K., so today I thought I’d riff on a question which many club members may be asking themselves this week:
‘Is it safe to buy stuff online?’
There are some interesting technical and legal issues relating to e-commerce but it all boils down to a couple of basic and obvious things:
- Is the website and payment system safe?
- What backup do I have if I’m not happy?
Let’s cover those in order.
If you’re reading this in an email, click this link to visit our shop (this is just an experiment – you don’t have to buy anything.)
See the shop page? Now look at the address bar in your browser – you should see this:
The https part means that there’s a ‘secure’ connection between your computer, tablet or smartphone and our server (where the website lives…)
To the left of the site address (it’s called a URL), you should be able to see a green padlock icon.
The green padlock shows you that certain minimum controls have been carried out. The checks ensure that the content you’re viewing really does come from our server.
You’ll see the same thing if you visit an online banking site. Google uses it too. HTTPS is the default for e-commerce sites.
The other day I was about to buy a smartphone online – it was hundreds of euros cheaper than the same model in our local electronics superstore…
What stopped me?
No HTTPS!
No way am I entering my credit card details on a site without any security!
Which brings me to payments, credit cards and so on.
With our shiny new HTTPS, we could process credit card payments directly on our site.
But I prefer not too… It’s a big responsibility.
Imagine the stress, being responsible for people’s card details and so on! What if the site got hacked?
OMG, I’d never sleep again! I worry enough about losing my wallet…
So instead, I let Paypal handle it. You’ll have heard of them, I’m sure.
When you buy something in our shop, after you’ve added things to your ‘cart’ and pressed ‘Proceed to Checkout’, you fill in your name and address and so on, then click on ‘Proceed to Paypal’.
At that point you’ll be redirected to THEIR site, where you’ll be entering your credit card details, or Paypal login and password if you have an account.
Paypal is a massive organization, with world class security. Obviously, using them to process payments costs us a commission, but it’s worth it.
And for the buyer, Paypal offers a dispute resolution process and the possibility of a refund.
Talking of refunds, when you’ve completed your purchase you’ll receive several e-mails, including a receipt from Paypal and various automated messages from our shop software.
If you scroll down to the footer of one of the automated emails (not this one, the one you’ll get from the shop when you buy something), you’ll see this text.
I’ve bolded the key part…
Imparareonline Ltd. Registered in England, no. 8569282
Tregarth, The Gounce, Perranporth, Cornwall, England TR6 0JW info@imparareonline.co.ukThe Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 allows you the right to withdraw from a contract made through our website within 14 days from the date that the contract is finalized, without incurring any penalty or having to give a reason, if you are not satisfied with the purchase you have made.
To withdraw from this contract in accordance with the terms of The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, please e-mail us: info@onlineitalianclub.com.
Imparareonline Ltd. will repay the whole amount you paid within 14 days of the date we receive your notification to withdraw, normally using the same means of payment that you initially used.
With particular reference to the supply of services, such as for example on-line lessons, the right to withdraw is limited when the Customer agrees that the Provider may begin the provision of services before the expiry of the 14 day withdrawal period, and the Customer acknowledges that, if the Provider does begin the provision of services before the end of that period, then:
(a) if the services are fully performed, the Customer will lose the right to cancel;
(b) if the services are partially performed at the time of cancellation, the Customer must pay to the Provider an amount proportional to the services supplied or the Provider may deduct such amount from any refund due to the Customer.
As we’re a limited company, registered in England (even though I live in Italy – don’t ask!), we have to include this text in our shop e-mails. It’s the law.
That said, and while having a legal right to a refund is reassuring, what you really want is for the product or service you purchased to meet your expectations!
The teacher should be friendly and helpful. The e-book should open first time and be as you expected.
But what if that doesn’t happen?
Don’t know about you, but when I see the words “Contact Our Customer Service Department” my heart always sinks.
At OnlineItalianClub.com though, it’s just Lucia and I.
She assigns teachers to students (or vice versa) and deals with any issues that may arise. Write to her with your question.
And I deal with everything else. Personally.
It’s not outsourced to India or anything like that. It’s just me, sitting at my kitchen table, doing my best to solve your problem, at whatever time of the day or night it may be.
E-book didn’t open? Don’t know what a .pdf is? Bought two copies of the same thing? Don’t like Paypal?
Write to me and I’ll do my best to help!
I like to think of the customer service part of OnlineItalianClub.com as a sort of Zen meditation.
Goodness knows, sometimes I could be more patient with my wife and kids.
E-mail me with your issue – you’ll be helping with that!
So, ‘Is it safe to buy stuff online?’
If you look for the green padlock, if you pay through Paypal, and if you know who you’re dealing with, the answer is probably ‘Yes!’
That said, I’d encourage you to start small – try just the one online lesson first, to see if you like it.
If not, well that’s not the end of the world.
But if so, you can proceed to buy some more, with confidence!
Ditto with the e-books.
Download the free sample chapter (ALL of our e-books have a free sample chapter).
Does it open on your computer? Is it what you expected? Is the level OK?
If everything’s good, buy the full version.
I send e-books out within 24 hours, often much sooner.
When you get your e-mail, make sure to download the attached .pdf file to some place you can easily find it again. A folder on your desktop, for example.
Once you have the file saved, you can print it, read it on your tablet or smartphone, and keep it forever!
You’ll have spent, what, eight euros fifty, after the 15% discount?
You’ll have got yourself a great new resource for improving your Italian.
And you’ll have learned about buying stuff online!
+++
Here’s a list of what we have in our shop:
ONLINE ITALIAN LESSONS
1 x online Italian lesson €20 now €17
5 x online Italian lessons €90 now €76.5
10 x online Italian lessons €150 now €127.5
E-BOOKS
The Tenses You Need To Speak Italian €19.99 now €16.99
Italiano in viaggio €9.99 now €8.49
Italian Workout! A1 €19.99 now €16.99
Italian Workout! A2 €19.99 now €16.99
Italian Workout! B1 €19.99 now €16.99
Italian Workout! B2 €19.99 now €16.99
Italian Workout! C1-2 €19.99 now €16.99
EASY READER’ E-BOOKS
A1
Rosa la cuoca disastrosa €9.99 now €8.49
La sorpresa €9.99 now €8.49
A1/A2
Mistero al Circo Garotti €9.99 now €8.49
Il fu Mattia Pascal €9.99 now €8.49
Ciak si gira €9.99 now €8.49
Il grande pesce rosso €9.99 now €8.49
La crisi di mezz’ età €9.99 now €8.49
Il giocoliere €9.99 now €8.49
Uno studente in viaggio €9.99 now €8.49
Il ristorante €9.99 now €8.49 – PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS!
Cena con delitto €9.99 now €8.49
A2
Il sorpasso €9.99 now €8.49
Cielo libero €9.99 now €8.49
La montagna €9.99 now €8.49
L’amore ai tempi del supermercato €9.99 now €8.49
A2/B1
Missione Segreta €9.99 now €8.49
Amarcord €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
Il fazzoletto rosa €9.99 now €8.49
Un viaggio nel tempo €9.99 now €8.49
Il campo di papaveri €9.99 now €8.49
La dolce vita €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
Ladri di biciclette €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
B1
Roma città aperta €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
Alta moda, alto pericolo €9.99 now €8.49
Caccia all’autografo €9.99 now €8.49
I soliti ignoti €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
Correre a tempo €9.99 now €8.49
Divorzio all’Italiana €9.99 now €8.49 – CLASSSIC ITALIAN MOVIES SERIES
B1/B2
Cereo 12 €9.99 now €8.49
Le tante facce del futuro €9.99 now €8.49
Un’indagine molto privata €9.99 now €8.49
Un’avventura tra i ribelli €9.99 now €8.49
Segreti e polpette €9.99 now €8.49
Aria di festa €9.99 now €8.49
Un furto ad arte €9.99 now €8.49
La casa dei fantasmi €9.99 now €8.49
B2
La cicatrice €9.99 now €8.49
Don’t forget to use the coupon code:
July_Offer_2016_15%OFF