Online shopping: 10 tips for safe online shopping
Have you ever bought a product or service over the Internet?
Yes? I also. You’re not alone…
Some of the reasons most people shop online are: they can buy anything at any time because internet shopping is available 24/7.
You can shop from the comfort of your home. You can avoid traffic and crowds in shopping malls.
Online shopping is one of the best ways to locate hard-to-find items that are not available in your local stores.
What you buy can be delivered by mail to your home.
Most online stores and businesses offer great values and discount prices because they don’t have to pay the overhead of owning a physical business that will cost them insurance, employee wages, taxes, and more.
VeriSign, Inc. says recorded online sales during the main holiday shopping season were approximately $2.2 billion.
According to a study by Forrester Research Company, by 2010, online sales will reach $331 billion.
More consumers are shopping online today than they were a year ago. The range of products they buy is very wide: software, hardware, electronics, digital products, music, toys, e-books, books, programs, DVDs, flowers, pets, jewelry, clothing, air tickets, insurance, cars, prescription drugs, etc. comics, games, gifts and more.
They flock to shop at online bookstores, software stores, online computer stores, destination stores, pet stores, liquor stores, pharmacies, music stores, furniture stores, fabric stores, the Disney store, outlet stores , surplus stores, discount stores, thrift stores, gift shops, candy stores, lingerie stores, sports stores, video stores, sex stores, department stores, game stores, clothing stores, and others.
Be a smart and experienced online shopper. Buy smart and safe.
Here are some tips to help you shop safely online.
(1) Shop the websites of companies you know and are popular offline.
If you’re not sure about the company, ask for their catalog or brochure first.
Make sure they have a physical address and phone number, as well as an email address. Call them and talk to a human first.
Check the yellow pages and Better Business Bureaus to make sure the company is legitimate.
Please read all fine print and refund policy before placing an order.
You can read about product reviews and what other shoppers have to say about a company at:
http://www.epinions.com, http://www.consumersearch.com, http://www.productopia.com, http://www.deja.com
Here are some internet shopping agent sites:
[http://www.comparenet.com], [http://vo.infospace.com]http://bottomdollar.com
To read about shopping store reviews, regarding ease of use, pricing, selection, and service, go to:
http://www.gomez.com, http://www.bizrate.com, http://www.ratingwonders.com
To read about web business scams and get help avoiding being a victim, go to:
http://www.fraud.org, http://www.bbbonline.org, http://www.webassured.com
(2) Keep track of all your purchases.
Most people are by nature disorganized and unable to keep records. Learn how to keep track of all your online purchases. This will help you keep track of your spending and purchases.
Print all receipts or save them on your computer in a folder called “receipts.”
This will help you locate orders you placed but were never delivered.
The more organized you are, the less negative online shopping experience you will have.
(3) Keep all your important personal information safe.
Don’t give them to strangers who might call you on the phone or request them by email.
Personal information includes: your address, email address, phone number, social security number, driver’s license, age, information about your family.
Do not give them to any stranger and, in addition, teach your children not to do so.
(4) Keep your passwords private.
When creating a password, avoid using phone numbers, dates of birth, or social security numbers.
Be creative. Use a password that is not easy for others to guess, and yet not easy for you to forget.
Change your passwords frequently. Use sentences to help you remember them.
Do not reveal passwords to anyone.
(5) Use a credit card (but never a debit card) to make your payment.
Be sure to save all credit card payment receipts. Check your credit card statements for any unauthorized charges.
When you buy certain goods and services from some companies, they sometimes continue to bill you after that. So scrutinize your statements. If you see a charge you’re not sure about, call the billing merchant and check it out.
Keep your credit cards safe.
Avoid making a payment with your credit card on a public computer.
Report any lost credit card immediately and have it canceled. Don’t give anyone you don’t know your credit card number.
(6) Please read the return policy before placing an order.
Make sure you read and understand the return policy and warranty.
(7) Read and understand the company’s privacy statement (or policy).
A privacy statement tells you how and why a company collects your information and how that information may be used.
You can find the company’s privacy statement (or policy) at the bottom of the home page or within their “Terms and Conditions” or “Terms of Service” (TOS).
(8) Use a secure browser and server.
Make sure that any browser you are using complies with industry security standards, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
This security protocol scrambles or encrypts the personal information you send over the Internet to ensure that your transaction is secure.
How do you know if the server is secure where you are making a payment?
If a website uses secure technology, its web address begins with https and a small closed padlock appears in the lower right corner of the screen.
(9) Take a look at some stores and compare prices before you buy.
Look for hidden costs like shipping and handling.
(10) Use the Yahoo search engine for all your searches.
Yahoo remains not only the biggest online company, but also the best search engine.
Unlike the other popular search engine, which keeps companies in a sandbox for many months and refuses to give them rankings for many months, Yahoo is pro business and provides immediate rankings to companies and businesses.
Your search result is also excellent. That may be one of the reasons why 60% of people online (including me) love Yahoo.
In addition, they have the best and most reliable hosting service in the world.
For these reasons, I strongly recommend that you use Yahoo for all your searches.
Happy and safe online shopping.
warmly,
I-key Benney