Becoming A Savvy Web Shopper

June 20, 2005

What could be more blissful than munching on chocolates as you relax in your pajamas, shopping the latest designer goods in the comfort of your favorite chair? We can’t think of a single thing…and, apparently, we’re not alone.

There’s no doubt about it- online shopping is booming. According to statistics released by Visa, “Global sales across the Internet hit $150 billion this year (2004)”… an astounding 56% increase from 2003. That’s some serious shopping. And what’s not to love? Picking up your favorite items online enables you to enjoy direct-to-your-door convenience, an unlimited array of store options, incredible deals and boundless flexibility.

Unfortunately, society has its share of deviants- some of whom prey on naive shoppers chomping at the bit to get a deal on the season’s hottest handbag or the latest must-have jeans. The good news is that it’s incredibly easy to protect yourself from the unscrupulous with a just a bit of knowledge. Read on for our best tips on how to have your virtual cake and eat it, too.

1. Never submit your credit card information over an unsecured server.

But what exactly constitutes secure?
128 bit SSL encryption is today's state-of-the art technology. This system essentially builds an encoded shelter around your sensitive information, sending it directly to the merchant who then uncodes it and pulls the relevant information from the transmission. Anyone "eavesdropping" on the process along the way will read a string of gibberish rather than the actual information. The term "128 bit" describes the 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique encryption codes available with this technology. That's a mind-numbing 340 trillion trillion trillion combinations...but how do you know the website you're shopping on offers secure connections? It's incredibly easy to tell if you know what to pay attention to; look for at least one of these two:


• A closed lock icon that appears on the bottom navigation bar
• A URL with an "s" (for "secure") at the end of http://, so the site reads https://.


The entire website might not display the https://, but any page that asks you for sensitive information should. Get in the habit of checking the address bar for that extra "s" anytime you're about to type something personal.

2. Don't send sensitive information via email.


Email connections are generally not secure. Never send personal, credit or bank information via email. Your best bet is to enter this information over a secure connection on the merchant's website; but, if that's not possible, give the company you're dealing with a call and speak to someone directly. For added protection, record the name of the person you spoke with.

3. Always use your credit card for online purchases.


Credit cards offer the highest level of protection and the best chance of resolution should a dispute arise. Cash, checks and money orders simply can't offer the same fraud protection and debit cards may fall short in key areas. Your credit card processor will be your best ally in any incident of fraud or abuse.

4. Carefully consider the site you're considering making a purchase through.

Responsible merchants prudently describe the way they do business and what you, as a consumer, can expect when ordering from their website. Watch for these hallmarks of a trustworthy e-commerce site:


• Contact information (including phone number, mailing and email addresses) should be clearly displayed. Street addresses convey far more credibility than PO boxes.
• Pertinent shipping and return policies are plainly detailed.
• The site's privacy policy is clearly outlined.

5. Keep detailed receipts.


Reliable companies promptly email an order confirmation detailing your order, payment method, total purchase price and expected ship time. Keep that confirmation on file until your merchandise is received and you've had the opportunity to thoroughly inspect it. Even better, retain that receipt until you've reconciled the purchase with your credit card statement.

For more fabulous information on web-savvy shopping, check out the American Bar Association's Safe Shopping website.