Online Shopping
Questions and Answers:
Welcome to InfoFAQ. You'll find professional advice from experts in the field, from business owners of popular online stores, and from service oriented websites that are making an impact everyday on the Internet. Our "Frequently Asked Questions" format is fast reading, and straight to the point.
Some Often Asked Questions
How should I go about shopping for a big purchase in consumer electronics online?
It is important for you to figure out exactly what you are looking for. Try doing some research by looking for articles and consumer reviews on the web. Make a list of the features that you want and the specifications that are important. Then compare brands and prices. When you find the brand and model that you prefer, then search for the best price on that. Try doing some comparison shopping once you know the product you are looking for.What's the difference between a credit card and a debit card?
A credit card is a card that lets a consumer access funds in a credit line set aside for that user. When the purchase is made, and settlement occurs, funds are drawn from the credit line and deposited to the merchant's account.On the other hand, a debit card is a payment card whose funds are withdrawn directly from the cardholder's checking account. With an on-line debit card, the customer must enter a PIN to authorize payment at the time of sale (and the funds are settled through a debit network). In the case of off-line debit cards (generally with Visa or MasterCard logos) the customer signs a receipt, as would be the case in a credit card transaction. In this case, the funds are transferred after batch settlement.
Is it safe to order products online using my credit card or checking information?
When you make a purchase online, be sure to look for the little lock icon on the bottom of your web browser to make sure that you personal information will be protected by secure encryption when it is sent over the internet. You can also check on this by holding your cursor over the web page in question, clicking the right button on your mouse, and selecting "Properties". Then look to see that the web address shown starts with "https", where the 's' denotes a secure web server.Are there any disadvantages to ordering my prescriptions online?
If you're like most people, you go to the same place to get your prescriptions filled. The local pharmacist has probably gotten to know you, and is familiar with the full regimen of medications that you are taking. It is the pharmacist's job to notice any drugs that might react badly if taken together and protect you from dangerous drug interactions. While some online pharmacies have questionnaires for you to fill out that attempt to do the same job as your pharmacist, you just can't be sure in most cases that they are looking out for you like your local pharmacist.Are DVD and Movie Clubs the best deal for buying DVD's online?
While the initial offering may be appealing, you really need to look at the entire deal they are offering. These types of clubs will often promise you something like 10 DVDs for free if you agree to join the club. One of the catches is that often times the shipping fee they charge for the 'free' DVDs is equal to, or greater than, the amount that you can purchase the same DVDs for in a regular store. These clubs will also get you to agree to let them send you their monthly special; if you don't want it you can send it back, but do you really want to pay for return shipping and the time it takes to send it back every month? What usually happens is that consumers don't send them back in time, and wind up being billed for the new DVDs. This is how they make their money. You should also take a look at their regular prices, since you have agreed to purchase additional items at the regular price. Do they disclose their prices AND their shipping and handling fees? Do they give you a customer support phone number, and an email address? These clubs are often not as good a deal as they would like you to believe, and they use hidden prices and methods to fool consumers, so look out.Are the DVDs and movies that you buy online as good a quality as the ones from a store?
In some cases, especially with discount online retailers, the DVD or Video quality may not be as good as what you would get in a regular store. This depends entirely on the online dealer and their source of the DVDs. If they are a discount provider, the quality may be lacking. Make sure that the DVDs have a guarantee, and pay by credit card to protect yourself. If you pay by credit card and you get a bad DVD that they will not give you a refund on, you can have your credit card issuer reverse the charges. Make sure that you have the phone number of the seller in case you have any problems.How can I check out an online lender?
One thing you can do is to check with your state government to see if the lender is licensed to sell mortgages in your state. Another thing is to search the web for complaints about your lender. To do this just search Google.com with the name of the lender and the word 'complaint' or 'problem'.Inside . . .
Modern Day Bank Robbers - In the old days bank robbers used to come into a bank with a mask and a gun... Nowadays they can just use the Internet. Protect yourself with these helpful online shop safe FAQs.Most Popular Comparison Shopping Websites
Top 5 Comparison Shopping Websites
Google Product Search
Search engine which shows photographs of relevant products. Searches can be restricted by price, type of good, and retailer.http://www.google.com/products
SHOPPING.COM
Compare products, prices and stores.http://www.shopping.com
mySimon.com
Compare listings of products right from the stores.http://www.mysimon.com/
Shopzilla
Shopping search offering price comparison, reviews and store ratings.http://www.shopzilla.com/
CNET Shopper
Product search, price comparison, reviews and tech specs.http://shopper.cnet.com/
Source: Google, Yahoo, Alexa, major online directories and other statistical tracking tools.
In 2009 nearly 60 million adults were victims of fraud!
Consumer Complaints
Top 20 Consumer Fraud Complaints in 2008
- Identity Theft - 26% (313,982 filed*)
- Third Party and Creditor Debt Collection - 104,642, 9%
- Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales - 52,615, 4%
- Internet Services - 52,102, 4%
- Foreign Money Offers and Counterfeit Check Scams - 38,505, 3%
- Credit Bureaus, Information Furnishers and Report Users - 34,940, 3%
- Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries - 33,340, 3%
- Television and Electronic Media - 25,930, 2%
- Banks and Lenders - 22,890, 2%
- Telecom Equipment and Mobile Services - 22,387, 2%
- Computer Equipment and Software - 21,442, 2%
- Business Opportunities, Employment Agencies and Work-at-Home - 20,286, 2%
- Internet Auction - 17,294, 1%
- Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection/Repair - 17,263, 1%
- Health Care - 16,275, 1%
- Auto Related Complaints - 14,278, 1%
- Travel, Vacations and Timeshare Plans - 13,200, 1%
- Credit Cards - 13,196, 1%
- Magazines and Buyers Clubs - 10,188, 1%
- Telephone Services - 9,300, 1%
* The complaints were filed online or a toll-free number, shared via a secure database. The FTC collects consumer complaints from more than 125 other organizations and makes them available to more than 1,600 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad via Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database. Copies of the “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book” can be found at http://www.ftc.gov/sentinel.
Note: Internet-related complaints accounted for over 50% of all fraud complaints.
Consumer Frauds
The Top 10 frauds listed in the FTC report for 2007 include:
- Fraudulent Weight-Loss Products (4.8 million victims)
- Foreign Lottery Scams (3.2 million victims)
- Unauthorized Billing - Buyers Clubs (3.2 million victims)
- Prize Promotions (2.7 million victims)
- Work-at-Home Programs (2.4 million victims)
- Credit Card Insurance (2.1 million victims)
- Unauthorized Billing - Internet Services (1.8 million victims)
- Advance-Fee Loans (1.7 million victims)
- Credit Repair Scams (1.2 million victims)
- Business Opportunities (.8 million victims)
Top 4 Consumer Tips Against Fraud
The FTC has tips for consumers who want to protect themselves from fraud:
Protect your personal information. It's a valuable commodity. Only share your credit card or other personal information when you're buying from a company you know and trust.Know who you're dealing with. Walk away from any company that doesn't clearly state its name, physical address, and telephone number. A Web site alone or a mail box drop should raise suspicions.
Don't rely on oral promises. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make any payments or sign any contracts. Read and understand the fine print in any written agreement.
Don't pay "up-front" for a loan or credit. Remember that legitimate lenders never "guarantee" a loan or a credit card before you apply, especially if you have bad credit, no credit, or a bankruptcy.
Consumers interested in identity theft should consult the FTC's publication, "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft," Also see Consumer Government Guides.
Visit our Shopping Guides and Credit Card Fraud sections for useful information.
Certifications
