ONLINE SHOPPING

GUIDELINES TO MAKE BETTER ONLINE SHOPPING

With just a click of the mouse, shoppers can buy nearly any product online - from groceries to cars, from insurance policies to home loans. The world of electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce, enables consumers to shop at thousands of online stores and pay for their purchases without leaving the comfort of home. For many, the Internet has taken the place of Saturday afternoon window-shopping at the mall.

The same things can go wrong shopping in cyberspace as in the real world. Sometimes it is simply a case of a computer glitch or poor customer service. Other times, clever cyber crooks cheat shoppers.

This guide offers advice on how to make your online shopping experiences enjoyable and safe.

•  Shops at Secure Web Sites

•  Research the Web Site before You Order

•  Read the Web Site's Privacy and Security Policies

•  What's Safest: Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Cash, or Checks?

•  Never Give Out Your Social Security Number

•  Disclose Only the Bare Facts When You Order

•  Keep Your Password Private

•  Check the Web Site Address

•  Always Print Copies of Your Orders

•  Shop with Companies Located in the Unites States

•  Pay Attention to Shipping Facts

•  Learn the Merchant's Cancellation, Return and Complaint-Handling Policies

•  Use Shopper's Intuition

•  Be Wary of Identity Theft

•  Be Cautious with "Electronic Signatures"