How to Safely Shop Online

Shopping online can be risky. Anyone can build a legitimate looking online store just to rip people off by taking money for goods without shipping the item(s), taking credit card numbers to commit fraud, or selling inferior products not worth the price paid. You work hard for your money, PROTECT IT. There is a whopping 3.6 billion dollars worth of online fraud in one year from online scams and shifty retailers WashingtonPost.com, Five Tips for Safe Online Shopping, November 21, 2007. Below are important internet shopping tips from a professional online clothing retailer to help you shop online with confidence.

1. The computer you use for online shopping should have updated Virus and Spyware monitoring. Otherwise, you risk having your confidential information compromised such as passwords and credit card numbers.
2. Use the Credit card safety net. If you are ripped off from a purchase you made online using your credit card, you can file a dispute with your credit card company for the money lost. It is not difficult just call the toll-free number on the back of the credit card. You will have to fill out a form your credit card company's fraud department will mail to you. Keep in mind, there are time limits in which a dispute can be filed from the time the charge was made so you have to follow-up usually within 30 days.
3. Do not buy online with a debit card. When you pay with a debit card the money is coming immediately out of your checking/savings account. Plus if you are dealing with an online crook they will have the opportunity to take more money out of your account once they have the debit card number so basically your account can be wiped out! It is very difficult to recover stolen money through your bank for unauthorized debit card purchases. Can you imagine having your checking account compromised? It could lead to a snowball of overdraws, a frozen account, and a series of late fees when the bills don't get paid on time. Debit cards can be dangerous. However, if you do not want to use a credit card, you could set up a special debit card account with a designated amount of money for the intentions of making purchases only, it would be a safer option.
4. One of the safest ways to buy online is through PayPal or a similar online reputable payment system because the website you are purchasing from never actually gets your credit card number. When you go to checkout at an online store that offers PayPal, you are re-directed to the PayPal secure website and you will see the PayPal logo and URL. PayPal can easily track down their verified merchants if there is a problem with the transaction and filing a dispute is extremely easy.
5. Whenever shopping online at a new website, always check to see if there is a customer service phone number to call. Email alone is too unreliable for customer service issues because you don't know if they received your email or if you are just intentionally being ignored. Before purchasing from a new website test customer service, call them and see if they answer the phone or leave a message and see if they return your call. In the event there is a problem with an order or you want to return/exchange an item, this is when customer service usually fails so it helps to know you can talk to someone on the phone.
6. Until you have an item in hand, you will not know if it is going to live up to your expectations. Be sure to read the return/exchange policy before making a purchase. Most stores have very specific policies laid out. Many online merchants offer money back guarantees but with ridiculous time frames in which items must be returned, re-stocking fees, and/or a series of steps you must do in order to return an item.
7. Do your homework. Before making your purchase it doesn't hurt to do some research just to make sure the website doesn't have a bad history. I recommend searching the Better Business Bureau's directory for any complaints against the company. Also check the search engines for any articles about the company. Many consumers now-a-days fight back bad service by posting information on the internet about their experience especially if they were left feeling angry. Check blogs, forums or any special interests groups