Ten Tips for Buying Safely Online

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Ten Tips for Buying Safely Online - By: Remy Lebeau, Posted on: 2008-04-19

Let's face it, buying online is much easier than going to your local store to look for the product you need. You avoid the hassle of bumper-to-bumper traffic (especially during the holidays), the long lines at the checkout counter, aisle-upon-aisle of products that you don't really care to look at and for some, the bad experience of dealing with rude sales people.

Suffice to say that online shopping does have its own disadvantages, it is by far and wide still much easier to buy online. Here are some tips to ensure your online experience is as smooth as possible:

1. Protect your privacy – Read up on the company's privacy policy. Technical terms like cookies should be properly understood before undertaking any transaction. Find out how the company uses your information, who it shares this with and if their policies are still within your rights.

2. Use technology to your advantage – Security measures such as SSL encryption are meant to protect you. Find out what other measures the company takes to ensure the sensitive information your provide is kept safe.

3. Study the seller – If you're not sure if the company you're dealing with is reputable, look at review sites to find out how others felt after dealing with them. You can also check resources like the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission for fraud flags. Another place to look would be their feedback page, but be forewarned, these postings are controlled by the company and may not be 100% accurate.

4. Ask questions – While most Internet retailers would include a thorough description of their products along with its picture, you should still ask questions if you need to know more.

5. Secure a sample – Pictures are great. They can tell you a lot about the product. Still, having the product right in front of you can make a big difference in your buying decision. So continue to shop from the comfort of you home by asking for samples. Some companies may charge you for the shipping of samples. This is normal, but find out if you can get it for free or if they will refund you the cost after the purchase of an item.

6. Print out the paperwork- Any document sent to you as proof of purchase should be printed out and kept handy. You should also keep any other email correspondence connected to the transaction (ie credit card authorization requests, confirmation of order, return requests, transaction receipt, etc.)

7. Read the return and refund policy – If the product is not up to par or the service is unsatisfactory, find out if you'll be able to get your money back even before you purchase the item.

8. Use your credit card – The safest way to pay online is still with a credit card or a charge card. Unlike other forms of payment, it is protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Also, most credit card associations (like Visa and MasterCard) will only hold you liable for a maximum of $50.00.

9. Read up on your warranty – The problems may not happen right now, maybe not even tomorrow, but when they do, you better be prepared. Your product's warranty is one way to do this.

10. Get their number and keep it - Here's another way to ensure future incidents get the proper resolution. Get the company's phone number and make sure you have access to it long after you receive the product. Write it on the box if you think it would help, this way it's easier to file a claim when you have to. Plus, you'll never know, you might end up using the same company again if you need more of the product you got from them.

Article Source: http://www.girlarticles.com

Remy is a Promotional Adviser specializing on Customized Clothing, Personalized Shirts and Tshirts, and Custom Logo Tshirts and other E-commerce sites.