Cutline Speaks

Think before you “click to submit”

posted by Morgan on December 1, 2009

Yesterday, I perused the Cyber Monday deals to see what kind of sales there were for ski boots. I came across a few sites advertising up to 70% off on top-of-the line ski boots.  Seeing those slashed prices and those big discounted numbers made me want to whip out my debit card and quickly become the owner of a new pair of ski boots. With flashbacks to other similar shopping incidents which ended with serious buyer's remorse, I started second guessing the validity of these prices...and these promotional pages. 

So, how are people supposed to know if a web site is legit or not? Like a good Internet-sleuth, I searched for an answer and found it pretty easily, along with a few other new tips for online shopping. Here's the quick scoop: 

• One of the best ways to verify a site is secure is to look for padlock sign in the site's URL address to verify the site is secure. It's also good practice to read the return and private policy page to look for questionable statements. 
• According to Consumer Reports, people shouldn't use a debit card to shop online because it's harder to dispute fraudulent charges (versus using a credit card).
• Avoid clicking on the links in promotional emails, even if they are from major well-known retailers.  Instead of clicking in links in the emails, manually type in the retailers' website in your browser's address bar. 

There are a lot more useful tips available on the Internet, so take some time to read and get educated on how to shop securely:

• Consumer Reports: Black Friday survival guide: 11 ways to shop, save, and keep safe
• Washington Post: Eight Tips for Safe Online Shopping
• CNET: Five Tips for Safe Web Shopping

Happy shopping!

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