THE ADVISOR - Shopping Guide
Originally published 12/8/99

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On-line Shopping guide

On-line shopping is convenient yet there
are things to be aware of...
Enjoy the convenience but remember
the ancient Latin warning:
 
Caveat Emptor  --let the buyer beware.

I have complied a few On-line shopping tips...

PRIVACY POLICY**
Always look for a 'privacy policy.'
This tells you how the company will use
the private information you give them.
Information you must give to process your order.
I you cannot find a 'privacy policy' on a shopping site...
shop somewhere else!

RETURN POLICY/CUSTOMER SERVICE**
What are they? How do they work?
What if the item is damaged
in shipping or is the wrong size or color.
How do you return it? Is there a phone number
you can call if you have a problem. It's nice to 
talk to a real person when you have a problem.
Find out before you order.
ToysRUs.com has a great return policy:
Buy it on-line, return it to any Toys R Us store.
Amazon.com has 24 hour/7 day customer telephone support.

SECURE TRANSACTION**
Pay with a credit card and insist on a 
Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Your browser should
display an icon (such as a locked padlock or a key and lock)
which will tell you if your connection is secure.
The Internet has sophisticated incription services which
make your transactions safer than giving your credit card
number to a person over the telephone.
NEVER, NEVER send your credit card or other
personal information in an e-mail!! E-Mail is not
secure. AND, never send cash first.
If an on-line store asks you to do this... shop somewhere else.

PRINT OUT RECEIPT OF TRANSACTION**
After your transaction is complete, print out the 
confirmation of your order. Keep it as a receipt.
After Y2K hits you may not be able to access your e-mail .

Bearing those tips in mind, let the shopping begin.
Some suggestions below: 

1. Direct shopping
Some of my favorites are:

For movies. Any movie you would want, and some you wouldn't.
www.reel.com

Old standard. More than books now. A+ on service!
www.amazon.com


2. Shopping Malls
Both allow comparative shopping.

www.shopping.com

http://webcenters.netscape.com/shopping/home.html