Shopping online can be a lot easier than getting in your car, fighting traffic, finding a parking spot at the mall and fighting the crowds. Online shopping means you don't have to worry about your car being broken into in the mall parking lot, but you can get ripped off online, too. Here are a few tips to get great deals online safely.
Use a Secure Connection:
Reputable online merchants should always have a secure SSL or SET connection to keep your payment information safe. Check the address line in your browser window - you should see a small padlock icon and/or "https:// " before the address instead of "http://". If you do not see these, shop somewhere else.
Comparison Shop:
Like your mother always told you, don't jump on the first thing you see. Google the item that you are looking for - you'll find it for sale in countless places at widely varying prices. Check sites like Shopzilla.com and Pricegrabber.com, as they do some of the comparison shopping for you. Check eBay and Amazon as well. you can often find a gently used or refurbished item for a real steal.
Seek Out Reputable Retailers
Look first for names that you know. JCPenney.com and Walmart.com are not going to steer you wrong. If you find a great deal somewhere else, look for the familiar Better Business Bureau logo with the torch. You can also check a retailer's worthiness by looking at their reviews at Bizrate.com or Epinions.com. On eBay, check the seller's rating and take a look at what other buyers have had to say about them. Yet another option is to "Google" the merchants name along with the keyword "scam." You might be surprised what you find out.
Check the Shipping Cost
Take a good look at the shipping fees before you finalize the sale. Some eBay sellers pad the cost of an "inexpensive" item by charging exorbitant, excessive shipping fees. While this is against eBay policies, it still happens frequently, and you are stuck with the purchase if you hit "Buy It Now" or you win the auction.
On other sites, take a look at the shipping options given. Sometimes the checkout will default to a higher priced shipping method, when there is a lower priced or even free option that you can choose with a click. If you can wait a few extra days for your merchandise, you can save a few bucks.
Check Out E-store Return Policies
Sometimes thing arrive in the mail broken. Sometimes items don't fit like you thought they would. Maybe the item is just not what you expected to receive. Ask yourself - and the retailer - Are returns accepted? Are refunds given? Who pays for return shipping? Is there a time limit for returns? These policies should be clearly stated in the checkout. If they are not, let the buyer beware.
Pay Safely
PayPal is a great payment method, as you don't have to give merchants any banking or credit card information. It's easy to set up an account, and most everyone accepts PayPal as a form of payment. You can even request a PayPal debit card, which can be used against your PayPal balance for both online retailers and actual physical stores. Never ever e-mail banking or credit card information.
Now that you have a few safe shopping tools in your belt, get going! Shopping online can be a time-saver, a money-saver, and just plain fun. Great deals are out there right now just waiting for you. Have fun and shop safe.
Leigh VanDeWalker - Meet Leigh VanDeWalker: Leigh is a wife, a working mother, a food and nutrition expert, a malignant melanoma survivor, a grandmother, a ...
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