How to Shop Online

With the convenience, limitless selection, and incredible deals, Internet shopping is quickly becoming essential to our daily lives. But to take full advantage of the deals and shopping options available online, it pays to bring some shopping know-how with you into cyberspace. Being informed about return policies, shipping costs and sales can not only save you a lot of headaches, but can also save you some cash as well.

Finding the Right Online Store

The first step to any successful shopping trip is finding the right store to visit. That goes for brick and mortar shopping or browsing online. To ensure that you are dealing with a reputable retailer, do a bit of research before you start adding items to your virtual shopping cart. Ask plenty of questions to yourself when browsing through the site. Does this website have a physical address that you would be able to contact? Does the site have approval seals from independent organizations like the Better Business Bureau?

But don't stop there. Take the time to click on one of these approval seals to make sure they’re valid, as some disreputable sites will post images of seals to falsify their credentials. Also, type the company's name into a search engine to review what other shoppers have to say about their shopping experience here. It’s always a good idea to start your search with a large, well known online store. This way, you can see how a transaction is properly handled, which will help you spot red flags when doing business with lesser known online stores.

Secure Online Shopping

One of the biggest concerns that keep many people from taking the plunge into the world of e-commerce is credit card and identity theft. They worry that if there credit card information is put online it can be easily stolen. Although you should be vigilant to only shop on secure sites, this fear shouldn't keep you from enjoying the many benefits of online shopping. Even in-store purchases go through cyberspace, so avoiding online stores won't guard you against credit card theft.

However, what will ensure your protection is shopping on secure sites. When making a purchase online, you should only provide credit card information over a secure site. How do you know if a site is secure? That's the easy part! Secure sites will have an "https" in the address bar, rather than the standard "http." That "s" stands for secure and you can also look for a small padlock icon on the bottom of the browser window to know for sure that this site is secure.

When checking out, you will probably be asked to provide your name, telephone number, address and credit/debit card information.  A business site should never ask for your social security number or mother's maiden name. These are both red flags that should alert you to leave this site.

To shop with even more confidence, you can use a payment website like PayPal. Here you only need to give your credit card or bank information to PayPal and then have the advantage of paying on other sites through PayPal.

Smart Online Shipping

If there was ever a drawback to online shopping, it is the shipping costs that are often associated with online purchases. However, shipping shouldn't be a reason to avoid online shopping. Many outlets offer free or reduced shipping and all it takes is a quick shopping search to come up with competitive shipping rates. It also pays to check the shipping price before moving on to check out. Many times sites will feature a shipping assessor that will calculate the cost of delivery to your specific location. Although shipping can sometimes seem like a pain, it actually probably costs less than the gas and time required to travel to a traditional brick and mortar store to make a purchase, especially when you add in the extra expenses of impulse buys and then lunch at the food court.

Review the Online Return Policy

Any reputable e-commerce site will clearly state its return policy. It pays to review this before you make a purchase. Many people wait until they have a problem with a product before they go back to check on the company's policies.  There is usually a time frame for returns — generally 30 days is a good policy to look for.

You also want to inquire about return shipping policies, as some sites do not reimburse you for the extra cost of a return shipment, sometimes making a return not worth the effort. Another important feature to look for is a receptive customer service unit. Send a test inquiry to see how responsive the site is to its customer's needs and you'll get a good feel for the treatment you will receive once you become a customer.

Shopping online should simplify your life. By following some basic safe surfing practices you can ensure that every purchase you make online brings you great results.