Internet
Shopping Tips
You have to be cautious when shopping on the Internet
My sister-in-law will not buy over the Internet
because she has to use her Credit Card and she is afraid the Credit
Card will be compromised. On the surface of that thought, it
seems valid. However, it is based on a misconception that the Credit
Card Issuer would not be involved in helping her remedy the
situation should that happen.
I have had my credit card fraudulently used for 3
trips to New York totaling over $1,500. When I advised my
Credit Card Holder they simply credited my credit card account with
the full amount. I had a Web Host company from California use
my credit card for a year's worth of service. I had never
heard of them before they showed up on my credit card statement.
I phoned them and they said they would credit my card for the full
amount and apologized for the error. Another time I had a
Company do an automatic renewal on my credit card. I had never
used their account but as we dug through my records I found I had
signed up for their service and then forgot about it. It cost
me 2 years fees for being remiss.
Other then these instances I have shopped all over
the internet and have really enjoyed it. I can find items that
I never would have found at home. I have made friends with
some of the Merchants I have bought from as I seem to find my way
back to them for gifts for friends and family. I love it.
I don't have to get dressed up to shop, I don't have to worry about
store hours, I don't have to park the car in a jam-packed parking
lot and I have found Specials on the Internet that are not found in
the big stores locally. I always search a site looking for
special promotions or coupons before I purchase. It all adds
up in savings. Now, most of my shopping is done this way for
my special occasions and Christmas. I have experienced service
from my Internet Merchants that honestly I can't remember getting
from my local stores for quite awhile
if ever. These guys really, really care. Or
at least that is how they make me feel. For instance, I
ordered a Christmas gift from "Dell.ca", from their offices back
East and it was delivered the next day. I live on the West
Coast. When I order from Sears locally it takes them 10 days.
That is how things are and that is why I enjoy shopping on the
Internet. All these unexpected happenings really surprise and
delight me.
I recently bought a product from TeleBrands in
Florida. When the order was totaled on the Internet it read as
$20.97 for shipping with the product only $20.00. Obviously an
error in their software as they had stated shipping was $6.95.
Right? Wrong! I was in error for jumping to conclusions.
With the product I purchased they also included a Free DVD. I
phoned their customer service the next day to cancel the order as I
wasn't paying $20.97 shipping for a $20.00 purchase that had little
weight. Well, they shipped the product anyways and the
invoice I received showed the price of the product, Free DVD and
then a handling charge. I now have a rule for myself - if I
see a handling charge I cancel the purchase before I let them use my
credit card. So there are still little things you will come
across. However, I feel that Company got me for a few extra
dollars but in the long haul they lost what could have been a very
good customer for them through repeat orders over the years.
P.S. They also shipped me 1/3 more of the product then I had
ordered. So it was a saw-off.
Following are some do's and don't for shopping on
the Internet.
1.
Stay clear of websites that do not have a
Disclaimer guaranteeing your personal information will not be sold.
Many web sites, such as
http://www.BizRate.com let you evaluate hundreds of different merchants on criteria such as
customer service, privacy policies, and content. Look at the
ratings consumers give them.
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Other Pages:
Just click on Title
1. Automobile Books
2. Auto
Tools of course to get that job done
3.
Die cast model cars for collectors
4.
Miles Kimball
Catalogue Shopping
5. The
Latest On Solar And LED Lights
6.
Shopping Made Easy
7.
Personalized
Labels
8. Used
Cardboard Boxes
9.
TV On Your PC
10.
Christmas Ornaments
11.
Letters from Santa
12.
View the latest
fashions from Asia
2.
Print out a copy of
your order and confirmation number for
your records.
Reputable merchants will usually send you an email
confirming your order. However, a hard copy is always good to have
in case your order is lost, deleted or not delivered as promised.
(If you don't know how to do this, right click your mouse button,
select "Select All", (the screen will highlight), then right click
your mouse again and select "Copy". Then click on "Start",
"Programs", "Accessories and slide down to "WordPad". Click and
another window on your computer will open up. Right click your mouse
and select "Paste" and the whole internet screen will be printed on
your WordPad Screen. Then go to "File" on the WordPad Screen click
"Save as" and it will go in to your "MY Documents". Make sure you
give it a title so you can find it again.)
3.
Never share
your web site passwords with anyone.
Write them down and store them in a safe place
and use
RoboForm too.
4. Read the
Merchants policies to make sure there is not an automatic renewal
involved.
This
item is usually tucked
away in their policies or if you are given a Membership make sure
you read all of your personal profile to edit any buttons that are
checked off automatically and you didn't know about it. Gr-r-r. This
ticks me off big time.
5.
Do not use the same username and
password at every web site.
Should your personal information be compromised, a
thief won't get very far if you use different passwords and
usernames on different sites. If you get
Roboform this will
not be an issue. It saves all this information for you.
6.
Use the
same credit card to shop with
online.
This helps keep track of your online purchases, and
will make it easier to spot purchases that are fraudulent. Look for
a card that allows you to review transactions online as well you'll
be more likely to notice a problem early on.
7.
Never shop with an Internet Company that does
not show its physical street address.
How can you or your Credit Card Holder contact the
Company directly in case of discrepancies, damage & repair or such
like if you don't actually know where to contact them other then the
Internet. Generally there is a phone number on your Credit
Card Statement that you can phone. Go to
www.whois.com
to get the name and address of the Domain owner if all else fails.
8.
The safest way
to purchase product and services on the Internet is through PayPal.
Did you know
that you do not have to be a member of PayPal to use their service
when dealing with an online Merchant. The benefit is you know
whom you are dealing with. If you do not receive your item or
there is a problem with what you receive you simply contact PayPal.
They have you contact the Vendor directly to see if the issue can
be resolved between the both of you. If it can't you report back to
PayPal and
then they in turn contact the Merchant directly to achieve resolution for
you, and at no cost to you. Believe me, it will be resolved.
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