Tips for Making Online Purchases
Internet e-commerce has become big business in recent years. Because of the ease in which consumers can research products, the increased number of online options, and the potential cost benefits, 2005 is proving to be a record year for Internet purchasing. In the first three months of the year, online sales accounted for over 2% of all U.S. retail purchases for a total of more than 19 billion dollars.
Along with this surge in popularity of online purchasing has come a darker element of increased identity theft and fraudulent purchases. Here at GoBigWest, we are not suggesting that you do or do not make purchases online; that is a matter of preference that is left entirely up to you. However, we do want to provide you with a few pointers if you elect to make purchases online.
1 – Shop at stores you trust – Chances are, if you are shopping on the website of a large retail chain with a solid presence, you are going to have a positive online purchasing experience. Outlets such as Amazon and eBay have solid reputations and large integrated retail corporations such as Best Buy or Wal-Mart may even be able to offer in-store pickup, returns, or exchanges.
2 – If you are unsure of the reputation of a retailer, do your homework – Before trusting your personal information to an online retailer, see what others have said about them. One good resource is www.epinions.com where people are able to post reviews of both products and retailers. If a retailer has negative reviews or has not been reviewed by many people, it may be a red flag.
3 – Look for and read company security and operating policies – See what types of policies are in place to protect you as a consumer. What is the company’s return policy and what can be done in the event of a billing mishap? If you are unable to find this information, that may also be a red flag.
4 – Make sure the site uses encryption protection – Encryption ensures that the information you submit on a website cannot be viewed by a third party. Before submitting sensitive information on a site, look to see if the connection is secure. You can generally tell if a connection is secure because the address of the web page you are on starts with https:// instead of just http:// and there is an icon of a closed padlock in the status bar of your browser window. Most browser programs can also be set to display a pop-up window when you are entering into a secure connection.
5 – Do not submit information via e-mail – Unlike encrypted connections, e-mail is not a secure way of transferring information. For this reason, reputable companies will not ask you to send personal information via e-mail. If you do receive an e-mail asking you to click on a link to a Web page to submit information, be very suspicious. This is a common ploy used by scam artists to get your information. Instead, go directly to the company site by typing in the Web address and submit information or call the company directly and provide your information over the phone.
6 – Be diligent about checking your bank statements – This is good practice at any time, especially when making online purchases. Watch for fraudulent charges so they can be caught early. Many experts even suggest that you use a separate credit card with a low credit limit specifically for online purchases to make the process easier.
We hope that you find these tips useful and that if you decide to make online purchases, it is a positive experience. If you have any questions about this letter or about any other aspect of the GoBigWest service, please let us know.
