Make Your Online Shopping Safe and Hassle-Free
Online shopping has become so popular that it rivals in-store shopping, ringing up billions of dollars in sales each year. Why are so many people choosing to shop online? First, it offers convenience: there are no crowds to deal with, you can shop any time of the day or night from the comfort of your home or office, and online shopping offers a world of choices that are just a click away. Online retailers also make it easier to buy and ship gifts to friends and family in distant locations, which can save you valuable time.
Online Shopping: Risks vs. Rewards
The benefits of online shopping are clear, and it can be fun to have so many choices at your fingertips. The downside of buying online is that you don't get to use some of the shopping skills you've acquired over the years: your ability to evaluate a product's quality by testing it or trying it on.
Even the most detailed description of a digital camera can't duplicate the feeling of holding it in your hand and taking a few test photos. And that built-in radar that helps you detect a shady salesperson or untrustworthy merchant doesn't work as well when you're looking at a Web site.
Online shopping also carries a few unique risks that you should be aware of, including identity theft, online fraud, and untrustworthy merchants who are not what they seem. Many retailers work hard to ensure that you have a safe online shopping experience, but not all. So it's important to protect yourself.
Practice Online Shopping Safety
To help ensure that your online shopping experiences are fun, safe and secure, here are some of the most common online shopping risks, with tips to help you protect yourself:
- Research the retailer, and make sure the site is secure. While it's good to choose a merchant you know, the wide variety of online retailers makes that difficult. If you're shopping on an unfamiliar site, look for an address and phone number, and call the company to make sure the information is legitimate. To help ensure secure shopping, look for a URL that starts with https.
- Use only safe computers for shopping. Never use public computers (like those at the library) for online shopping, and don't shop over a wireless network unless you know it's secure. If the network doesn't require a username and password, don't trust it.
- Protect your identity. Provide as little private information as possible, avoid authorizing the retailer to keep your credit card information for future purchases, and consider creating a separate e-mail account for online shopping that will protect your primary e-mail address.
- Use safe payment methods. By law, credit card companies must provide consumers with dispute resolution to protect against fraud, making credit cards a safer option for online shopping. PayPal also offers a secure method of online payment that includes some fraud protection. Avoid using your debit card and don't reveal your checking account number, because these options allow merchants to access your bank account directly.
Online shopping can be fun, and it offers some advantages over a trip to the mall. With a few common-sense precautions, your online shopping adventures will be safe, secure and hassle-free.
For more information about the risks of online shopping and more tips to help you protect yourself, see "How to Shop Safely Online".
