Buying online
November 30, 1999
© 1999, Douglas E. Welch
If you haven’t purchased something from an online retailer before,
this holiday season might just be the nudge you need to get you
to click on the "Buy Now" button. I consider shopping with the major online vendors as safe. Perhaps
safer than buying via the telephone or in a store. In fact, I
have bought many items on the Internet, both large and small,
with no problems over the last 2 years. That said, there are a
few tips to help make your online shopping trip a little easier
and safer.
Get the facts
The most important part of shopping online takes place before
you ever start the first order. Find and read the vendor’s policies
on privacy, billing and returns. Read and understand the ramifications
of these policies. You don’t want any surprises after you have
already placed the order. Will the vendor sell your name and information
to other vendors? When will your credit card be billed? Can you
return something after 7, 30, 90 days? If you don’t like one vendor’s
policies, find another. There are so many to choose from.
A bit of technology
Once you are satisfied with a vendor’s policies it is time to
think about technology for a few minutes. Whenever you are placing
an order you need to insure that your browser shifts into "secure
mode", especially if you are about to send your credit card number.
This secure mode, while not bullet-proof provides, a level of
security that should be satisfactory for most web buyers. Grabbing
a credit card number during one of these encrypted transactions
takes some skill and a certain amount of computer equipment to
accomplish. Personally, I consider it more secure than using my
credit card to order a product over the telephone.
 Each browser indicates that it is in secure mode in a unique way.
In early versions of Netscape Navigator, a broken key in the lower left-hand corner would become
solid and a blue line would appear at the top of the window. In
later versions, such as Netscape Communicator, the key is replaced
with an open or closed padlock. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer also uses a padlock icon to indicate when you
are browsing securely.
Before you check out
All online vendors will give you one last web page to check that
your order is correct. Take the time to review this page carefully.
It is always easier to avoid any problems with your order than
to resolve them once they occur. Make sure the item description,
quantity, price and the shipping charges are all correct before
pressing the "check out" button.
Print it out
In order to facilitate order tracking, returns or other questions
about your order, make sure you print out the web page showing
your completed order. When you are shopping online this is the
only receipt you will receive until your credit card bill arrives.
The tracking number on this printout will also allow you to easily
get the status of your order.
Find the unique
Another benefit of shopping online is the ability to shop from
small craftspeople and companies that used to sell only to their
local populations. You aren’t limited to the Amazon and eToys of the Internet. Use the power of the Internet to seek out these
unique gifts. Both you and the people who receive your gifts will
be pleasantly surprised.
Shopping online can be so convenient, especially now during the
busiest shopping season of the year. I, for one, don’t look forward
to fighting the crowds at the malls and shopping districts. You
will find me happily clicking and browsing my way through my list
of naughty and nice.
Douglas E. Welch is a freelance writer and computer consultant
in Van Nuys, California. He also writes Career Opportunities, a weekly column on high-tech careers and A Gardener's Notebook. You can find more of Douglas' writing on his web page at: http://www.welchwrite.com/
He can reached via email at douglas@welchwrite.com
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