| I know there are a number of articles on how to shop | | | | Thirdly, know their privacy policy. It should be spelled |
| online safely, but I don't think it can be over stressed. | | | | out on a policy page. If you are concerned about the |
| Unlike the brick-and-mortar store where you pick up | | | | amount of personal information the website is asking |
| the item and take it to a person at a checkout stand, in | | | | for, their contact page should have plenty of |
| the virtual world you send your credit card information | | | | information on how to contact someone in the |
| over cyber-space to an electronic checkout and wait | | | | company. Be sure there is an actual address, |
| for your item to show up at your door, or local store | | | | telephone number and e-mail address on the contact |
| for pick-up, if you've dealt with Wal-Mart or Best Buy. | | | | page. It's also a comfort if the site has the name of the |
| Shopping online is a little different, and a lot scarier. | | | | person you are to contact. If you are shopping online, |
| Here a few tips to make it less scary. First, know the | | | | and something about the site makes you a little |
| source you are dealing with. Look for a policy page, | | | | nervous, go ahead and contact them. You should |
| and know the purchasing policy as well as the shipping | | | | receive an answer in a day or two. I have received an |
| and return policy. Whether it's handbags online, or | | | | answer in less than an hour, and on one site, I got a |
| fishing gear, the same laws that govern shopping by | | | | phone call. I was registered on that site, so they had |
| phone, or by mail, apply to shopping online. Websites | | | | my permission to call me. Always feel free to contact |
| must adhere to their stated shipping schedule, or, | | | | someone. In a brick-and-mortar store you would. Ask |
| contact you and give you the option to cancel the | | | | questions. The answers, however, will take a little |
| order with a full refund or wait for a stated future | | | | longer to get. But be patient, there are about 10 billion |
| shipping date. If their site has no shipping policy, then, by | | | | transactions completed every day, and if only half of |
| law, it must ship within 30 days. | | | | them have questions, it could take a while. |
| Second, you should know how long you have before | | | | Lastly, be sure to take your time with a new site. If you |
| you can no longer return the item. Is it 10 days, 30 days | | | | are in a hurry to get a gift or something time sensitive, |
| or 90 days? Does the return period start when they | | | | deal with sites you're already familiar with, or a site a |
| ship, or after you receive the item? Do you have to | | | | trusted friend uses. The alternative could be a disaster. |
| pay return shipping? Return shipping is usually | | | | It is much harder to fix a bad transaction online, than it |
| determined by the reason for the return. A reputable | | | | is in a store. |
| site will have all these policies spelled out. | | | | |