In recent times internet shopping, home deliveries and contactless payments have surged but how can I shop safely online and make sure that my items are delivered securely and on time.

If you are buying from online marketplaces then your rights to a refund if something is not as described is usually greater. Returns are easy to organise with some retailers emailing returns labels and organising a home pick up for parcels to be returned.

Paying for goods bought online needs to be secure so setting up a PayPal account to pay for items bought online is a safer and more secure way to pay then sending out bank details to strangers or paying by card. In this way you have somewhere to go in the case of any disputes.

Organising delivery slots can be awkward if you are out at work especially if you do not have a secure place to store parcels that are delivered to your home. It is sometimes better to do click and collect or to arrange for your parcel to be delivered to a secure local pick up point such as a convenience store or a storage locker. The parcel can then be collected at a time that suits you and you can be assured that it will be safe and secure.