Shop Smart, Stay Safe, Online Shopping!!!

1. Why Shop Online?

Nielsen published statistics on the overall online shopping trends - Over 875 Million Consumers Have Shopped Online - the Number of Internet Shoppers Up 40% in Two Years.

The same study estimated that almost two-thirds of consumers have made an online purchase.

It is estimated that online shopping accounts for about 8% of retail sales in the United States and continues to grow at about 10% a year worldwide.

2. What are the advantages of online shopping?

A different Nielson Online Survey discovered the most important factors people shop online are:

Ø     To save time (77%)

Ø     To comparison shop (61%)

Ø     To find things easily (56%)

Ø     Low prices (46%)

Ø     Free shipping (24%) 

   

3. What are the risks of online shopping?

Ø     Buying goods that aren’t delivered.

Ø     Goods which don’t match the description.

Ø     Delays and hassles with online purchases.

Ø     Poor after-sales service.

Ø     Misuse of your credit or debit card details.

  

4. What are the Tips for Protecting Yourself?

Ø     Shop From a Secure PC

If possible, avoid using the family PC that your teens or children use to chat with their buddies and play games online. An infected system will undermine all of the other precautions you might take to avoid online fraud. 

Before you start shopping online, make sure your system is running with up-to-date anti-virus software, and that you're using a firewall to block potential intruders. Just as important, be sure that your computer has the latest security updates installed. 

Ø     Shop only at Sites You Know & Trust

Avoid search-engine shopping, which can often lead to random merchants you've never heard of. For the safest and most hassle-free online shopping experience, it's best to stick with merchants you know and trust. Most importantly, make sure you have read and understand the merchant's shipping and return policies before making any purchases. 

Be sure to print a copy of each receipt or confirmation e-mail you receive. Keep all of your receipts in a folder and filed away in a safe place. 

Never buy anything advertised via unsolicited e-mail. Such offers are almost always a scam. Criminals even build attractive storefronts for fake businesses that close up shop within days of accepting your online order. 

Ø     Shop with Your Credit Card

Most online merchants accept both credit and debit cards. While debit card issuers have largely adopted that same approach, your bank account could be overdrawn while you dispute fraudulent charges, particularly if you don't notice the fraud immediately. Experts say credit cards still present less potential for hassle when dealing with your financial institution should unauthorized charges show up later on a monthly statement. Never shop at sites that ask you to wire your payment or send money orders.

Ø     Consider Alternative Payment Methods

  

For the truly fraud-wary online shopper, there are still plenty of alternatives to entering your account number at multiple Web sites. Many financial institutions and card issuers offer customers the ability to generate unique, "virtual" or "one-time use" account numbers that are good for a single transaction or a handful of specified transactions only and cannot be reused. 

Ø     Get a Handle on Spam

  

If you worry that giving away your e-mail address at multiple online merchants might wind up cluttering your inbox with more junk mail, consider creating a new address for each new Web site that requires you to enter one as part of the registration process. This allows you take action if a merchant you're doing business with sells or rents your e-mail address to marketers.