Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThere is no single lookup that proves an online shop is currently taking and fulfilling orders. The safest answer comes from combining several checks: identify the legal seller, review the official company and insolvency records for its jurisdiction, compare the seller’s contact details with those records, look for recent fulfilment and refund evidence, and confirm that your payment method gives you a realistic dispute route. A live website, HTTPS padlock, positive rating, or active company listing is only one clue.
“Still trading” can mean several different things
Before checking a retailer, define the question you are trying to answer. These statements are not interchangeable:
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- The legal entity is registered: a government register still shows the company as registered or active.
- The website is online: the domain resolves, pages load, and a checkout exists.
- The business can be contacted: a phone number, email address, or physical address produces a response.
- The shop is accepting orders: the checkout takes payment and displays a delivery promise.
- The shop is fulfilling orders: customers are receiving goods, refunds, and support within the promised time.
Official registers mainly establish identity, filed status, and insolvency events. Website testing, direct contact, recent customer experiences, and marketplace records provide different evidence. None of those sources alone is a public, definitive “currently fulfilling orders” indicator.
Use this six-step check before paying
1. Identify the actual seller behind the storefront
Start with the exact website domain and the seller named in the site’s terms, privacy or contact pages, invoice, checkout screen, or marketplace profile. Record:
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- the legal company or individual name;
- the company or registration number, if shown;
- the claimed address and country;
- the phone number and email address;
- the trading or brand name used on the storefront; and
- the marketplace account name, if another platform hosts the sale.
A trading name can differ from a registered company name. Look for an explicit connection between the two, then search the legal entity rather than relying only on a familiar brand. A seller that gives only a social-media account or a generic email address, or whose addresses conflict across pages, deserves additional checking. That inconsistency is a warning, not conclusive proof of fraud.
Compare the country implied by the domain, delivery promise, currency, and returns address with the country stated in the legal information. Singapore’s consumer guidance specifically recommends comparing premises and country claims with the address and contact information the retailer publishes. Apply the same principle using the official register for the seller’s jurisdiction.
2. Check the official company register and insolvency notices
Search the government company register using the legal name, registration number, or equivalent national identifier. Then check the jurisdiction’s official insolvency notices. Search the known trading name as well when the register supports it, because a storefront may use a different name from the legal entity.
A matching record confirms that the name exists in the register; it does not certify that the website is genuine, that the company is solvent, or that orders are being dispatched. Companies House states this limitation plainly: “Companies House does not check the accuracy of the information filed.” Treat filed information as an identity and status clue, not an operational guarantee.
For an individual trader or informal seller, a company search may produce no result even when the person is real. The sources covered here do not establish one worldwide register for those sellers, so verify identity through the platform, published contact information, and payment protections instead of assuming that a missing company entry proves wrongdoing.
3. Check whether contact and fulfilment evidence are current
Use a contact route that you have independently compared with the seller’s official or established business records. Ask a concrete question rather than “Are you legitimate?” For example:
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- Is the exact item in stock?
- What date will it dispatch?
- Which legal entity will appear on the invoice?
- Where are returns sent, and who pays the return postage?
- What is the expected refund time if the item cannot be supplied?
Save the message and response. A prompt, plausible answer is useful evidence that somebody is monitoring the business, but it still does not prove that an order will be fulfilled.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchNext, look for recent, specific experiences on more than one independent review source. Give more weight to posts that identify the same domain and describe delivery, refunds, charge disputes, or support interactions. A star average without dates or transaction details is weak evidence. Reviews can be fabricated or manipulated in both directions, and the US Federal Trade Commission cautions that star ratings alone are unreliable.
4. Treat pressure tactics and “closing-down” claims as risk signals
Pause when you see several of these indicators together:
- a domain that imitates a known retailer;
- contact details that do not match the stated country;
- a price far below normal market levels without a credible explanation;
- a countdown, “last chance,” or repeated urgency message;
- a supposedly massive liquidation or closing-down discount; or
- a request to pay by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gift card, or a private channel outside the marketplace.
Consumer agencies in New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States warn that “going-out-of-business” language and unusually large discounts can be misleading. A warning sign does not by itself establish fraud, but it changes the decision: stop, verify the legal seller and records, and do not let a countdown remove your time to check.
5. Work out what happens if the order fails
Read the delivery promise, returns and refund policy, complaint process, and any marketplace buyer-protection terms before payment. Check whether those terms name the same legal seller you identified and whether they explain where a return goes.
If a marketplace is involved, confirm that the specific seller and item are covered by its protection scheme. Keep the payment on the platform. A request to move to a private bank transfer or another off-platform method can remove the platform’s dispute process.
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Choose a payment route with an applicable dispute mechanism, then read its conditions and deadlines. The exact remedy depends on your country, card or payment provider, transaction type, and the facts of the dispute. Keep screenshots of the listing, checkout, promised dispatch date, terms, messages, receipt, and tracking information. These records are useful if you need to challenge a payment.
6. Make a deliberate proceed-or-stop decision
Proceed only when the identity information, official records, contact response, recent fulfilment evidence, terms, and payment route fit together. Stop or choose another seller when:
- the legal name cannot be connected to the storefront;
- an official insolvency notice conflicts with the site’s claims;
- recent buyers report non-delivery or unanswered refund requests;
- the seller refuses to answer basic stock or returns questions; or
- the only accepted payment method is difficult to recover.
Do not turn a single reassuring clue into a complete verdict. The decision is about whether the remaining risk is acceptable for this order and this payment method.
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What each common signal can—and cannot—prove
| Signal | What it can tell you | What it cannot establish |
|---|---|---|
| Website loads and checkout works | The domain and ordering system are currently reachable. | That the legal business is solvent, genuine, or dispatching orders. |
| HTTPS or a padlock | The connection between your browser and the site is encrypted. | That the merchant is legitimate or will fulfil an order. The FTC puts it this way: “the ‘s’ after http means the site is encrypted — but it doesn’t mean it’s a legitimate site.” |
| Company-register entry | A legal entity with that name has a filed record and a recorded status. | That the storefront belongs to it, that filings are accurate, or that normal trading continues. |
| Positive review score | Some users have rated or discussed the seller. | That recent orders are arriving, that reviews are authentic, or that your item is in stock. |
| Fast email response | Someone is monitoring that contact channel. | That the response comes from the legal seller or that a refund will be paid. |
| “Closing down” promotion | The seller is making a claim about its future or stock. | That the sale is genuine, prices are fair, or fulfilment will occur. |
Country-specific ways to check
United Kingdom
Search Companies House’s “Find and update company information” service by the legal company name or number shown on the retailer’s terms or invoice. Check the registered status, filing history, registered office, and directors, then compare those details with the shop’s claims. Remember that Companies House says it does not check the accuracy of information filed.
GOV.UK directs consumers to The Gazette for insolvency proceedings. Search the legal name and registration number for liquidation, winding-up, administration, or other notices. A company-register result without an insolvency search is incomplete.
If the seller is a regulated financial-services firm rather than an ordinary goods retailer, the Financial Conduct Authority’s authorisation and permissions are relevant. The FCA distinguishes authorised firms from firms that are merely registered, and protections can differ. That sector-specific check does not establish whether a normal retailer of goods is healthy or fulfilling orders.
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United States
The Federal Trade Commission recommends comparing reviews, reading delivery and return policies, paying by credit card when possible, and retaining order records. Its advice also explains that HTTPS is encryption, not proof of legitimacy. The FTC’s shipping and credit-card dispute rules are US-specific; do not apply their deadlines or remedies automatically to a UK or international purchase.
For the business check, use the state or federal register relevant to the seller’s legal structure and location, and look for official insolvency information. If the retailer’s location is unclear, that uncertainty is itself a reason to demand clearer identity and payment protection before ordering.
New Zealand
New Zealand Consumer Protection recommends checking the company identity and contact details, reviews, price, terms, HTTPS, and payment method. Use the Companies Register by company name, number, or New Zealand Business Number, and check the registered, removed, and external-administration information available there. Also consult public notices from the Insolvency and Trustee Service.
The register may take up to 10 days to update. That is a warning about possible lag, not a guarantee that any particular record is stale. Conversely, a business in external administration may continue trading under an external administrator’s control. “Registered” does not prove normal operation, and “under administration” does not automatically mean the website has stopped selling.
New Zealand guidance lists copied domains, mismatched contact details, implausibly low prices, urgency, and unusual payment requests as warning signs. Its practical advice is direct: “If you’re unsure, do not proceed with the purchase.”
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Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) advise checking the retailer’s claims, refund terms, and company-registration information through the official Bizfile portal. Compare the premises and country claims on the site with the address and contact information it publishes, and confirm how disputes or chargebacks work before paying.
CASE recorded 52 complaints about transactions with overseas online retailers where consumers were misled into making purchases from January 2020 through 2 August 2021. That is a dated complaint count with a defined scope, not a measure of the percentage of online retailers that are fraudulent or currently trading.
Other countries
Use the government company register and official insolvency notices for the seller’s actual jurisdiction. Prefer primary public records over commercial “company checker” pages. If the seller operates across borders, check the entity in the country named in its terms and determine which country’s consumer and payment remedies apply. There is no single global register or universal procedure that covers every company, sole trader, and informal seller.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to investigate a suspicious closing-down sale
- Capture the evidence: save the product page, discount claim, countdown, terms, seller identity, and checkout screen.
- Separate the claim from the facts: “closing down” is marketing language until an official record or a credible business explanation supports it.
- Search the legal entity: compare the seller’s name and address with the company register and insolvency notices.
- Test a real contact route: ask who owns the stock, when it dispatches, and where returns are handled.
- Check recent outcomes: look for dated delivery and refund reports for the same domain on multiple sources.
- Review the payment path: reject pressure to use an irreversible or off-platform method.
If the answers conflict, do not treat the discount as compensation for the risk. A genuine sale can wait for reasonable verification; a fraudulent countdown is designed to prevent it.
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If you already paid and the order does not arrive
Act promptly and keep a written record. Contact the seller through the independently verified channel, state the order number, request a specific dispatch or refund date, and preserve the reply. If the seller stops responding, contact the marketplace or payment provider and ask what dispute or chargeback process applies. New Zealand consumer guidance specifically advises contacting the bank promptly about a chargeback when a paid order is not delivered; eligibility and deadlines vary by country and provider.
Do not send additional money to “release” a parcel or pay a second refund fee without independently verifying the request. Keep the original listing and all communications, because a deleted page or changed terms can make the timeline harder to establish.
A printable pre-order checklist
- Have I recorded the exact domain and legal seller name?
- Does the legal name connect clearly to the trading name and address?
- Have I checked the relevant government company register?
- Have I searched official insolvency notices?
- Do the register, website, invoice, and contact details agree?
- Have I found recent, specific fulfilment or refund experiences on more than one source?
- Have I tested a real contact route with a concrete stock or dispatch question?
- Have I read delivery, returns, refunds, and marketplace-protection terms?
- Can I use a payment method with a dispute process that applies to this transaction?
- Am I being rushed by a countdown, “closing down” claim, or unusual payment request?
If any answer is unresolved and the seller is applying pressure, pause the purchase. A register entry, padlock, or reassuring star score cannot substitute for consistent identity, current fulfilment evidence, and a recoverable payment route.
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