Safe Internet Shopping Tips

Buying on the Internet can be fun. It's convenient, often less expensive and there are no crowds to fight. You don’t have to go out in nasty weather or bring the kids along. You can get anything on the Internet that you can get in a store and it gets delivered to your home. So if you're going to shop online, how can you stay safe? Why, shop at the Circle of Stores of course! We’re all members in good standing with Wagglepop. In all seriousness though, there are several ways a smart shopper can safely shop online.

1. READ, READ, and READ again. And no, I don’t have the hiccups. If you’re on an auction site then read how the auction site works before signing up. Once you’ve signed up then make sure you read the Seller’s Terms of Sale (TOS). You are looking for things like shipping costs, methods of shipping, where the Seller will ship to, return policy, payment methods accepted, etc. Read the description of what you’re buying or bidding on before you make the bid. Make sure it’s really what you want. If you base your decision just based on a picture you could end up disappointed.

2. When you are signing up for a site or paying for your items, make sure that the address of the site starts with https:// before you give out personal information. This means you’re on a secure site. Just to double check look for the padlock at the bottom of the site.

3. Always print out a copy of your order and a copy of the acknowledgement that you should receive. I’ve accidentally deleted email confirmations so the paper back ups have come in handy.

4. Always check your bank statements carefully if you purchase something on the Internet. Make sure it matches the copy of the order you printed out.

5. If something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. If someone is offering a Plasma TV for $50.00 you can pretty much bet that it’s stolen.

6. Make your purchases with a credit card whenever possible. If you follow the above guidelines then you’re just as safe as if you went into a Retail Store. You will also have Chargeback rights with your Issuing Bank on the off chance that something does go wrong. You can also use safe online payment services such as PayPal.

7. READ, READ, and READ again. Ooooh! Déjà vu! No, really. Buyers end up with problems because they make assumptions and they don’t read. Ask questions if you’re unsure. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer then don’t buy.

Above all, have fun! There’s nothing better than being the winner of an auction for a great price. The thrill of victory and all that!

Find books, toys, clothing, jewelry, beads, pottery and collectibles at the Circle of Stores.