Safe Online Shopping

While online shopping is a breeze because the factors that typically makes shopping at the mall difficult and physically strenuous are absent, i.e. lack of parking, walking from store to store, traffic congestion inside the mall, carrying and transporting your shopped goods, too many distractions . . . online shopping has its own litany of pains:

• A customer may not receive the ordered items or the received items mat be different from how these items were described.
• Ordered items may arrive late or past beyond the estimated time of arrival.
• E-mail addresses or telephone numbers may be sold to third parties.
• Personal or financial information may be compromised.
• Proliferation of e-mail scams from "phishers" who cloak their messages with the personality of trusted and honest retailers or legitimate institutions.

What can the online shopper do to protect himself/herself from becoming a victim of online predators?

This blogger and shopkeeper of a little online shop will discuss in parts the things an online shopper must remember when shopping online. These guidelines I have compiled from research and readings from legitimate sources and authorities on safe and legal trading practices in cyberspace. By giving you information and tips on safe e-shopping, I hope to be able to contribute to the number of confident online shoppers, thus contributing to the growth of small online retailers and business operators like myself. I believe like so many others, that online shopping's share of unpleasantness (if I may call it that) is still outweighed by the pains of shopping at the mall.

So, my dear readers, whereever you are. . . watch for these little tips on safe online shopping . . . coming in parts to Shoppers' Blog.