May Tip of the Month

Buying Things on the Internet - Is it Safe?

Ready to go on an Internet spending spree? Clutching your wallet in fear? Have no fear!

Many people are buying goods on the Internet. Sites like Amazon.com and CDNOW are thriving on our desire to stay home and have goods shipped to us at home. Still, there are those that are afraid that someone out there is stealing your credit card number. Follow these tips to keep yourself protected:

Get recommendations from friends and family. It's a standard for buying from anyone.
Is the site secure? When you do have items in your cart and you are ready to proceed with your checkout, is there a statement about security? Does a box pop up and tell you that you are entering a secure site? Is there a small lock in the lower right hand corner? That little lock indicates that the site is secure for your transaction. It's the best indicator of safety.
If you're still concerned, many companies have the option of calling your credit card number in or placing the order COD. Some companies may even let you send a check in, but in this instance, the check usually has to clear the bank before the company will release your order, much like a credit card.

Maybe you're concerned about buying items from auctions sites like Ebay. Here are some simple tips to protect your self:

Read the description of the item you want to bid on thoroughly. If you still have questions, email the person selling the item. It's too late to ask questions once you've already won the bid.
Check out the seller's feedback. Next to the seller's name, you will see a number and a star. The number indicates the amount of times the seller has had feedback left about them. The higher the number, the better. Click on that number to check out the feedback further. Are there more positives than negatives? Read the negatives and neutrals. If those numbers are high, don't buy from the seller. You might not get what you think you're bidding on.
Does the seller have a website? A lot of times, the seller is a company, trying to advertise items that they might not be able to sell on their site. Check out their website. Sometimes, in a buying frenzy, the item on Ebay might sell higher than the item on the seller's website. If all else fails, buy directly from the seller.
Make sure you adhere to the seller's payment terms. If the seller lists Paypal or BidPay on their listing, you may pay with a credit card. Else, the payment may be in the form of a check, money order, or sometimes cash if dealing with a seller overseas.

There's always room for caution, but then, there's always room for new options when purchasing. Just as in retail, there are good companies and bad companies. Buy from reputable businesses and you shouldn't have any problems.

If you have any problems with your PC or Internet connection, please don't hesitate to give us a call or bring in your PC!

If you believe that you have a hardware problem and need our help, bring your CPU to M & M Programming, Inc., 110 North Spalding Avenue, Lebanon, KY.

See Previous Tips of the Month!