Shopping on the Internet has now become commonplace. The
Internet is an exciting tool that puts vast information at your
fingertips. With a click of a mouse, it lets you buy an airline
ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, purchase your
favourite item, bank and invest online.
Shopping online offers lots of benefits that you won’t find
shopping in a store or by mail. The Internet is always open –
seven days a week, 24 hours a day – and bargains can be numerous
online. Most consumers use credit or debit cards to pay for online
purchases.
Online Payment options:
Most online shoppers use credit cards to pay for their online
purchases. But debit cards - which authorize merchants to debit
your bank account electronically - are increasing in use. To
complete a debit card transaction, you may have to use a personal
identification number (PIN), some form of a signature or other
identification, or a combination of these identifiers. Some cards
have both credit and debit features: You select the payment option
at the point-of-sale. But remember, although a debit card may look
like a credit card, the money for debit purchases is transferred
almost immediately from your bank account to the merchant's
account. In addition, your liability limits for a lost or stolen
debit card and unauthorized use are different from your liability
if your credit card is lost, stolen or used without your
authorization.
Precautions:
Shopping on the Internet is no less safe than shopping in a
store or by mail. Keep the following tips in mind to help ensure
that your online shopping experience is a safe one.
•Use a secure browser - software that encrypts or scrambles
the purchase information you send over the Internet - to help
guard the security of your information as it is transmitted to a
website. When submitting your purchase information, look for the
"lock" icon on the browser's status bar, and the phrase
"https" in the URL address for a website, to be sure
your information is secure during transmission.
•Check the site's privacy policy, before you provide any
personal financial information to a website. In particular,
determine how the information will be used or shared with others.
Also check the site's statements about the security provided for
your information. Some websites' disclosures are easier to find
than others - look at the bottom of the home page, on order forms
or in the "About" or "FAQs" section of a site.
If you're not comfortable with the policy, consider doing business
elsewhere.
•Read and understand the refund and shipping policies of a
website you visit, before you make your purchase. Look closely at
disclosures about the website's refund and shipping policies.
Again, search through the website for these disclosures.
•Keep your personal information private. Don't disclose your
personal information - your address, telephone number, bank
account number or e-mail address - unless you know who's
collecting the information, why they're collecting it and how
they'll use it.
•Give payment information only to businesses you know and
trust, and only when and where it is appropriate - like an order
form. Never give your password to anyone online, even your
Internet service provider.
•Keep records of your online transactions and check your
e-mail for contacts by merchants with whom you're doing business.
Merchants may send you important information about your purchases.
•Review your monthly credit card and bank statements for any
errors or unauthorized purchases promptly and thoroughly. Notify
your credit or debit card issuer immediately if your credit or
debit card is lost or stolen, or if you suspect someone is using
your accounts without your permission.
About The Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK
homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk
website.
