Is tilebar.com Safe to Use?

Determining the safety of tilebar.com involves evaluating various aspects, primarily focusing on data security, transactional integrity, and overall business practices.

While the company appears to be a legitimate business with a substantial online presence and physical showrooms, a critical security vulnerability related to SSL certification raises significant concerns.

Beyond this, aspects like data privacy and reliable customer support contribute to the overall safety perception.

Data Security and Encryption (Major Concern)

This is the most critical area of concern based on the provided domain report.

• Absence of Publicly Verifiable SSL Certificate: The crt.sh report indicated “0 cert(s) found” for tilebar.com. This is a severe red flag for any e-commerce website. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts the data transferred between a user’s browser and the website’s server, protecting sensitive information like login credentials, personal details, and especially payment information (credit card numbers). Without a verifiable SSL certificate, this data is vulnerable to interception by malicious actors, potentially leading to identity theft or financial fraud.
• “HTTPS” Protocol: Users should always check if the website’s URL begins with “https://” and if a padlock icon is visible in their browser’s address bar. While the crt.sh report is concerning, it’s possible the site does use SSL but it wasn’t logged by that specific transparency report. However, its absence from such logs still implies a potential issue or at least a lack of full transparency regarding their security posture.
• Payment Gateway Security: Assuming transactions occur on the site, the underlying payment gateway must be secure. Even if Tilebar.com processes payments through a third-party secure gateway (like Stripe or PayPal), the initial data collection on their own site without strong encryption could still be risky.
• User Data Storage: Beyond transmission, the safety of user data stored on Tilebar’s servers (e.g., account details, order history) depends on their internal cybersecurity practices, which cannot be assessed from the provided information.

Privacy Policy and Data Handling

A reputable website will have a clear privacy policy outlining how user data is collected, used, and protected.

• Implicit Need for Privacy Policy: Given the “My Account” features and email sign-ups, Tilebar.com undoubtedly collects personal data. A comprehensive and easily accessible privacy policy is essential for informing users about their data rights and how their information is handled.
• Email Collection: The “Get new products, trends and inspiration to your inbox” prompt indicates email collection for marketing purposes. Users should understand how their email addresses will be used and if they can easily opt out.
• Cookie Usage: The initial banner “The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled” indicates their reliance on cookies, which track user behavior. A clear cookie policy should be available.

Legitimacy and Business Practices

Other elements contribute to the overall perception of safety, particularly in terms of whether the business is a legitimate entity that honors its commitments.

• Long Operational History: Being active since 2012 provides a strong indicator of legitimacy, as scam sites rarely last this long.
• Physical Presence: The existence of “NJ Showrooms” offers a tangible anchor, suggesting a real business with physical assets and staff, which reduces the risk of it being a fly-by-night operation.
• Customer Support Availability: The prominent phone number and “Contact Us” links provide avenues for users to seek assistance, which is crucial if issues arise with orders or products.
• Clear Service Offerings: Transparent offers like “5 Samples For $5” and “Free Design Services” indicate a commitment to customer satisfaction and legitimate business practices rather than deceptive tactics.
• Domain Status: The WHOIS domain status (clientDeleteProhibited, etc.) indicates good security practices for the domain itself, preventing unauthorized deletion or transfer.

In conclusion, while Tilebar.com exhibits many traits of a legitimate and established business, the critical absence of a publicly verifiable SSL certificate is a major safety concern that cannot be overlooked. Users should proceed with extreme caution and manually verify their browser’s security indicators (HTTPS and padlock) before entering any sensitive information.

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