Buy Online But Be Careful as a Smart Consumer

                                              Be watchful like a cat.


Buying online is easier than going to the local store, and the items can be delivered to your door within a few days, so why not buy online? I am a great advocate of buying online--actually I am an online seller, too--so I encourage everyone to buy online if they can buy SMART.

Online scams abound, and there are all kinds of potential problems, from identity theft to credit card abuse. If you are not very familiar with buying online, heed some warnings.

Do not buy from individual websites that are not established. New websites go up every day, and they are anxious to sell. If they want you to sign up with name, address, and credit card information, and they are a small or newer site, back out. Good sites that are new know that you should not give your credit card information to them, so they take PayPal or Google Checkout, and let THEM get your credit information. Another reason not to buy from new individual sites is that you may not get the merchandise.

Do not buy from international sites. USA shoppers should buy from the USA. This is not just for the benefit of the economy, but also because of the customs laws. Many foreign sellers do not realize that U.S. customs may seize the items or fees may be assessed. They also may not send the goods.

Buy from large, well-established sites that have some control over the merchants. I sell on a website called iOffer, and they remove sellers who do not deliver the merchandise. eBay, Amazon, and other conglomerate seller sites are usually safe, too. When you make purchases from these sites, be sure to buy from sellers who have been there for some time. Do not make purchases from new sellers, as this is high risk.

We have an article about practicing internet safety for your family that you may find helpful. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to scams, and we have written an article about scams against seniors, too.

Be ever watchful and be a smart consumer.

See you soon!

Linda
cajunC