Shopping on the 'Net

by Bob Seidel

It's time to start your seasonal gift shopping. Many of you will shop for products this year on the World Wide Web. In order to keep your confidential information safe (including your credit card number) and to make sure you get your purchase on time, there are some rules you should follow.

Before we start, I want to remind you of a few things. P.T. Barnum is quoted as saying that "Every crowd has a silver lining" and "There's a sucker born every minute". You should also be aware that there are many dotcom websites these days that are based on the premise that they can sell refrigerators to Eskimos. If you don't want to be a sucker, you have to be as diligent as you can be to avoid the pitfalls.

1) Don't buy anything on an auction website. Period. Some of these sites can be pits of misrepresentation, fraud, and outright theft. Remember the old rule: if it's too good to be true, it probably is. Stay away.

2) Know the price. Do your research. There are many price comparison websites, such as http://www.mysimon.com. Just because you are buying on the 'net does not mean you are getting the best price. You can check out shopping agents at the Yahoo category Business and Economy > Shopping and Services > Retailers > Virtual Malls. But again, be careful. Don't trust a shopping agent any more than you would trust any website.

3) Only buy from websites that are either well known or are associated with large, known traditional (brick and mortar) firms. Just because the website has a familiar sounding name, that doesn't mean it is established. Check it out first.

4) Use a credit card only for purchases. This piece of advice is becoming redundant these days, because its almost impossible to do business on the 'net WITHOUT a credit card. But it's still good advice to remember.

5) When placing an order, use only a site that offers secure ordering. You should see a security symbol at the bottom of your browser's window - usually a closed padlock. If the website is not secure, don't order.

6) During the ordering process, the website may ask you to fill in some personal information. Don't fill in anything that you are uncomfortable about. For example: I can't think of any reason why a website would need your Social Security number. Often these fields are optional - just leave them blank and see what happens - if the order goes through, no problem. If they reject it, it's your signal to run away.

7) Check the privacy and security policies on the website. Very few people do this, and are not aware that personal information may be traded, exchanged, or otherwise misused. Again, if you are not comfortable with the terms, run away.

8) Before placing your order, check on availability. Even if the website indicates that the item is available, this may not be truthful. If they are not truthful, you are pretty much stuck, but its better to look than to not look at all.

9) If you have any questions, the website should list a phone number that you can call to get assistance, or to place the order. If they do not, I would be suspicious of ordering. There are websites out there that are just facades with no stock - they take your order and just place it themselves elsewhere.

10) Order early. Order early. Order early.

Now, I hope I haven't been too discouraging. I order many items on the 'net myself. Just be careful!

(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. You can visit his website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail him at bsc@bobseidel.com).