Thu 10th Jan 2008 10:13AM
My favorite invention with no doubt is online shopping . Why? First I’ve always dreaded fighting the mall traffic. Second, waiting in a long line with screaming kids begging their parents of a pack of bubble gum is not my idea of a perfect Saturday afternoon. Online shopping allows me to go shopping all over the world from my cozy couch and a bottle of wine. However, online shopping should be conducted with caution. For those of you who are new to online shopping, you will enjoy the convenience and ease shopping with your new friend, the mouse, but just like in shopping malls were crooks are lurking in the parking lots demanding your wallet, the cyber world has its own predators. I’ve been online shopping for over ten years and it has been a pleasant experience. To copy my great online shopping experiences, please follow the same precautions I use.
Most of us shop whether it is online or the traditional way selecting a retailer by its brand or reputation. For instance, StorageMart is a leader in the self storage industry, so we can trust giving out our personal information on their website. However, the benefits of online shopping allow us to find unique items of interest sold from unknown retailers. Before you give out your credit card and personal information to one of these online shopping web sites , you want to make sure they are operating a secure and trustworthy web site.
Before you enter your name, address, and phone number make sure the online company has listed their postal information on the web page. If they don’t, move on to another online store. If they do have it listed, call and talk to a representative or request a catalog.
Look for third party seals of approval from such organizations as the Better Business Bureau Online or TRUSTe. Companies earn these seals if they abide by certain standards created by these trustworthy organizations. However, if they do have these seals, click on them to make sure they link to the organization and are put on the web site with permission. Most likely an online company will not post these seals without approval because it increases their chances of being caught.
If you visit web sites such as Epinions or Bizrate, you can find out what other customers have to say about their online shopping experiences with the company in question. People are most incline to write a bad review before a good review. So if your company has a good online shopping review, remember it must have been wonderful experience for someone to take the time to write. On the contrary, bad experiences are easily written driven by anger. If your company in question has no reviews, take that as a good sign.
Review the company’s policy on shipping methods and returns. The most difficult part about shopping online is not fully knowing what you bought is exactly what it is. Pictures can be deceiving. Sometimes an item looks larger in the picture than it does in person, or if you are buying clothes, you can’t try on a sweater though the computer. If the item is not what you expected or doesn’t fit, you want to make sure they will take it back and exchange it refund your money.
Lastly, trust your instincts. If you have a fishy feeling during your online shopping experience , skip the web site on move on to somewhere else.
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Shopping Information Center
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Juste E Stuff -- Internet Resources
The original article is located at: Online Shopping