Shopping Online 101

For those of you who have never shopped online before, it is quite an experience – and an exciting one at that. There is no limitation to the amount of products available and at first you may feel intimated. Just relax and, from the comfort of your home, take some time to browse websites you are familiar with, learn to navigate the sites, and then choose a familiar store and make your purchase.

Once you begin the process of shopping online, you may never visit a department store again. Well, okay, some of you may still want to be able to look at clothing up close and personal but, honestly, after standing on long lines during the holiday season you will most likely return to the computer and make all of your Christmas purchases online.

If you’re ready to begin, here are some tips and suggestions to remember before you start shopping online.

* Use one credit card only for online purchases. Once you have received your credit card bill, try to pay it off as soon as possible. Online shopping can create a mountain of debt if you’re not careful.

* When you buy an item from a website, you will need to register with the site by giving them a username and password, address, telephone number, and credit card. Never give out your social security number to anyone at anytime, either online or via the phone.

* Once you have registered with the company website, each time you log in you will need to provide the same username and password exactly as you typed it to begin with. Use a steno pad to write down the company website, your username and password. This will come in very handy if you register with multiple sites. Note: Change your password every month to ensure security.

* Ensure that the website has encryption software for security purposes. Well-known companies post this information under their FAQ page or directly on their front page. Note: Secure websites will have a URL address that begins with “https” when you reach the page where you provide your credit card information.

* Look for a company name, address, and telephone number. If they do not provide this information, do not purchase from them.

* Start by going to familiar sites such as Amazon.com, Macys, Target, and other stores you are familiar with. Browse their sites to get a feel for how each one operates.

* Check out coupon sites that offer up to 25% off on brand name merchandise. This can save you quite a bit of money in the long term.

* Most of the better company websites will send you an email immediately after you’ve made a purchase. The email will be a confirmation of your order, and will list your order as well as the total price. Save the email to your document folder so that you can refer to it later.

Note: Print out the confirmation of your purchase from the website, as well as the confirming email, and place it in a folder so you can check it against your credit card bill. Most companies will actually tell you to “Print” the confirmation page before signing out.

* Make sure after you’ve completed your purchase and printed out the confirmation page that you sign out of the site. Sometimes, it’s very easy to forget and the site will remain in your URL history until you delete it. Bookmark the site so that you have it available in your “Favorites Folder” for future use.

These tips and suggestions are just the basic pieces of information you should know before you begin shopping online. If you are not sure of something, ask a friend or someone familiar with the process.

It may take a few weeks for you to become familiar with shopping online but once you feel comfortable, you will ask yourself why you haven’t done it sooner.

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