Digital Lifestyles Reference Guide

Aug 27, 2004

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Even though the potential for fraud exists, you shouldn't fear online shopping; the incidence of problems of any sort is extremely low. Still, there are several steps you can take to improve the security — and the success — of your online transactions. Here are ten of the best tips for safer online shopping.

Tip #1: Trust Your Instincts

Here's the number-one rule for shopping online: Trust your instincts. If something smells fishy, avoid it. If you're not comfortable shopping at a specific website, then don't. Determine your own level of risk for shopping online, and be your own best guide.

Tip #2: Shop with Merchants You Know

One of the easiest ways to increase your online safety is to shop only at established and familiar companies. Although it's not a given, it's likely that L.L. Bean's website will be more secure than the site for Billy Joe Bob's Online House of Chewing Tobacco. If it's a retailer you've heard of, it's probably legitimate.

Tip #3: See What Other Customers Have to Say

When you're shopping online, how do you know whether you're dealing with a reputable online retailer — or one that's likely to rip you off? One of the better ways to check up on an unfamiliar merchant is to read what others have to say about that retailer. Fortunately, there are several websites, such as BizRate and ePublicEye, that offer either professional site ratings or reviews by the site's customers. Most of the online shopping comparison sites also offer reviews and ratings of retailers. check the ratings before you buy.

Tip #4: Check for Customer Complaints

If a retailer has a lot of complaining customers, there's probably a reason for it. When it comes to checking for complaints, Complaints.com is the perfect place to find out what kind of beefs customers have against a particular merchant or with a specific product. You can also check out a retailer's reputation with the Better Business Bureau, which registers complaints filed by customers against specific businesses.

Tip #5: Look for a Secure Site

Data sent over the Internet can be picked off by dedicated hackers — unless that data is handled by a secure server. Secure transactions of this sort employ a technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) that encodes information sent over the web, using a form of digital encryption. Fortunately, most major shopping sites feature SSL-encrypted ordering and checkout; you'll know you're using a secure site when the little lock icon appears in the lower part of your web browser.

Tip #6: Look for Real-World Contact Info

Here's a piece of advice I always follow: Shop at only those sites that have real-world contact information. Let's face it, if something goes wrong with your order, you're going to need to contact somebody. Beware of sites that don't even include an email contact address, and try to target sites that prominently list their phone number (toll-free, ideally), fax number, or street address for post-sale support. Personally, I won't shop at merchants that don't provide a phone number. There has been the rare occasion where something has gone wrong and I need to talk to a real honest-to-goodness human being; as far as I'm concerned, no phone number, no order.

Tip #7: Check the Returns Policy

This tip falls under the heading of "no surprises." Before you place your order, find out what you have to do if you're dissatisfied with a purchase at this site. How easy is it to return an item? Who pays for the return shipping — you or them? Can you expect a full refund or just a store credit? Under what circumstances will the store not accept a product return? If there is no returns policy to be found, skip the site.

Tip #8: Don't Provide Any More Information Than You Have To

While we're on the subject of privacy, you can limit your exposure by providing only information that's absolutely necessary. In most cases, you don't have to fill out every blank on every checkout form. There's no reason why an online retailer needs anything more than your name, address, email address, and maybe your phone number to do business with you — along with your credit card number, of course, for payment purposes. Most notably, you should never provide your Social Security number to an online retailer. (Online banks and brokerages are exceptions to this rule, of course.)

Tip #9: Safeguard Your Password

Some online retailers offer rapid checkout to returning customers, assigning each customer a username (sometimes your email address) and password. Obviously, the weak link in this process is the password. That's not because passwords are inherently insecure, but because most users choose passwords that are too easy to guess — birthdays, spouse's name, pet's name, and so on. To create a password that can't easily be guessed, all you need to do is increase the length (eight characters is better than six) and include both letters and numbers — and special characters (!@#$%), if you're allowed. You should also use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters if the account recognizes both cases. Even better, you should make sure that you don't use the same password on multiple sites; you should also change your passwords on a regular basis.

Tip #10: Pay by Credit Card

It's ironic that some people are afraid of paying via credit card online, when it's the credit card payment that provides the most security for your online transaction. When you pay by credit card, you're protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, which gives you the right to dispute certain charges and limits your liability for unauthorized transactions to $50. In addition, some card issuers offer a supplemental online shipping guarantee that says you're not responsible for any unauthorized charges made online. (Make sure you read your card's statement of terms to determine the company's exact liability policy.)

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