Visiting the Web site of a store is no different from visiting any other Web site. For many consumers their first online purchase is a book. You would start by visiting the site of an online bookstore— amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com, for example. These sites have their own search engines. Typing in an author's name, part of the book title, or the subject you are interested in will find the book for you. You can also read reviews online and locate similar books. If you order a book, you'll be asked for your name, where you want the book shipped, and for your credit card number (online privacy and security related to your credit card number are discussed later). Most of your favorite stores now offer online shopping, and the procedure is similar. You could easily do all your gift buying online. When shopping online, you'll want to keep the following tips in mind: • Shop with reputable firms. Checking the reliability of online merchants is much the same as for any business: check with the Better Business Bureau or other consumer protection agencies for a history of unresolved complaints. Also, check out the Direct Marketing Association's consumer Web site, http://www.shopthenet.org for a listing of DMA member companies that have agreed to adhere to ethical guidelines and to describe their privacy policies. If you're not familiar with an online company, ask for more information to be mailed to you — reputable companies provide plenty of information about themselves and their products. • Check for the company's physical address and customer service information in case you need to get in touch with someone to answer your questions or concerns. • Check return policies before you order. Some sites let you return online goods to their "real world" stores; otherwise, you may need to pay postage to mail back any item for exchange or return. Find out other details before ordering as well – for example, payment options, shipping and handling costs, delivery time, guarantees, insurance, and sales tax – and make sure you keep either a paper or electronic record of your order. • Look for special customer services, like gardening libraries for buying seeds and plants, or other information that can help you select a product that fits your needs. • Pay by credit card. You have the same protections under the Fair Credit Billing Act as you do when shopping in stores or from catalogs. (Your responsibility is limited to $50, and some credit card companies won't make you pay that amount in certain circumstances.) If you don't want to enter credit card information online, many sites allow you to call a toll free number to place your order. Be sure to keep a record of your call and order. • Select the delivery option that will meet your needs. Many sites offer several choices as to how you want your purchase shipped. In case of any delivery problems, you have the same protections as for mail or telephone shopping under the Federal Trade Commission's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. Unless otherwise stated online, goods must be delivered within 30 days of the company's receipt of your completed order; you can cancel an order that doesn't arrive in time and get a refund. (U.S. consumer protection laws generally will not protect you if the company is located outside of the U.S.) • Use secure sites. When you are in the checkout section of a Web site, look for an icon of an unbroken key or locked padlock. Also, the URL should begin with "https:". This indicates that you are shopping on a secure server that will protect information from being intercepted as it is transmitted and stored.   Welcome • Things To Do Online • Let's Get Started • Word Savvy Web sites of Interest • Feedback • Back to CyberSavvy.org • Privacy Statement