How do you do your research?

When I check out a website I go to register.com and check whois under the domain name. I also type in the name of the website in google search followed by the word complaints to see what pops up.

Do any of you experts out there do anything else before you trust or purchase from someone website? I just want to know if I am missing anything else.

Thanks to anyone that give suggestions.

 

I am in no means an expert. But here are the points i look for before buying:-

1. Check the PR.
2. Check the backlinks in google.
3. Check for pages indexed in google.
4. Run a few pages of the website in copyscape.
5. If the website is running on a premade script make sure the copy is legit.
6. Copy some text from website and paste it in google to see what comes up.
7. See, how much pages of content does the website has.
8. Check the revenue details.
9. Make sure the website is not banned from adsense.
10. Website is complying to the adsense policies.
11. How many links are sold on the website, I just make sure that there are'nt too many.
12. Ask the buyer how much coop weight or LV Vaultage is the website generating.

I think that would be it.

 

One thing I also look at is the Website design itself...

Does it look *Cheap, Cheezy, Quickly Made?* are there mis-spelled words on it??..

Is there good contact info, such as email addresses or email forms, is there a *About* page or something similar with the address and such about the company, maybe a phone number??...

 

Thanks for the information. Yes I definitely agree on the cheezy look.

Wow and I thought I knew some things sumitbahl. I know I have to research alot because I have no idea about some of the things you are talking about.

Ok sorry for being a newbie but how do I do 1-5?

 

1. Check the PR. - you can check this using google toolbar.

2. Check the backlinks in google. - In google search type link: domain.com

3. Check for pages indexed in google. - In google search type site: domain.com

4. Run a few pages of the website in copyscape. Go to copyscape.com and type the URL and hit enter, and it will show you if other websites are uding the same content !!

5. If the website is running on a premade script make sure the copy is legit.
- Looking at the website layout, sometimes you know that if it is made on premade script or not, otherwise do some research, like searching for some text generated by script, and you will know what script it is.

 

Wow thanks. I did type the info in the search bar but I didn't know about copyscape and the other stuff. This really helped!! Thanks again.

Also you serp alert site is cool.

 

Thanx, but thats not my website, i also thought that this website was nice, so i put it in my signature.

I am advertising this website for a user here on DP, his userid is serpalert.

 

By reading this i conclude that you want to buy a product or service from and not the website, correct?
If i am correct then the answer sumitbahl has given will not do you any good since you do not want to buy the website but something from the website.
Sumitbahl intentions where good but probably misunderstood your question.

Since below given answer is related for buying a website and not a product from a website.

A online company needs to be registered in some sort of form with the goverment the online store owner lives.

I would check out the chamber of commerce of the specific country and ask them if there is any available information about them.
Also check out www.bbbonline.org to see (if the store is located in the U.S.) if there are any complaints.

Check out the contact information on the website and see if it matches the WHOIS info...this is very important.

If you are not sure you can always post the link of the online shop and assistance will surely be given.

 

The points given by me were for buying a website and not a product. Points provided by Edz are good to follow if you intrested in buying a product rather than a website.

 

Ginene, if you want to read more about safe shopping then i would surely take a look at these links.

http://www.safeshopping.org/
http://www.shopsafe.co.uk/
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/cybrsmrt.htm
http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/info/consumertips.html
http://www.besafeonline.org/English/shopping_online.htm
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/91shptip.htm
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/pf/20051116b1.asp
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1336389.cms

I hope this is of any help to you

 

i always look if there are lots of complaint made by customers.

 

Sorry for the newbie question, but what do you mean by this? If someone asked me for my site I wouldn't have a clue..!

 

Check out this forum section overthere you can learn some more about this.

Note: This is not related to verify a site for being trustworthy.

 

I usually just don't buy anything from people I feel I can't trust

 

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