Online Holiday Shopping Tips

Magid: Safety Should Be At The Top Of Your E-Shopping List

(CBS)  Google’s Froogle is a great way to find products at a good price, but Google doesn’t provide any assurances about the merchants it helps you locate. Also, just because a merchant advertises on an established site doesn’t mean the advertiser is necessarily on the up-and-up.

When comparison shopping, consider the total cost, not just the purchase price. Shipping and handling can sometimes wipe out whatever "bargain" the pricetag may promise.

Also beware of prices that are too good to be true. If a merchant is selling a product at a price far below the competition, you might want to give them a bit of extra scrutiny. One exception is the used prices you'll find on Amazon.com. These are merchants that are rated and sometimes truly do offer exceptional prices and your safety is protected by Amazon.

Of course there are many honest online merchants that you may have never heard of, but if you do land on an unfamiliar site, look for some signs of legitimacy. For one thing, when you’re on the ordering page, there should be a lock in the lower right corner of your browser to indicate you’re on a secure site which helps protect your data from falling into the wrong hands.

Also, look for a site’s privacy policy and look for logos from organizations that feature credential websites such as TRUSTe, Verisign, or BBBOnline from the Better Business Bureau. It’s also a good idea to look for the company’s phone number and street address to make sure there is a way to get hold of them offline. If you need a bit of reassurance, give them a call. It can’t hurt.

Always use credit cards for online purchases because that gives you a bit of protection against fraud. If you use a debit card, check with your bank to see what levels of protection they offer. Remember, when using a debit card, money is deducted from your account immediately, so it’s up to you to try to get it back if you feel you’ve been defrauded.

Before you start your online shopping, be sure you have up-to-date Internet security software. Viruses and spyware can hijack your credit card numbers and other personal information and if you don’t have a firewall protecting your incoming and outgoing data, you run the risk of having your security violated by a hacker.

Security companies such as TrendMicro, ZoneAlarm, McAfee and Symantec all offer suites that protect you against a myriad of threats. Most of these companies allow you to download a free trial program, so, if you don’t have security in place, this is a good time to get a program to at least get you through the holidays.

Always look for a merchant’s return policy and study the fine print. Chances are you have to pay the return shipping through some merchants will pay return shipping costs if the item is defective. And, if you’re shopping for a holiday present, be sure to look for purchase and delivery deadlines. Most merchants publish that information from a link off their home page.

The Federal Trade Commission and other government agencies offer additional safety tips on the website OnGuardOnline. You’ll find additional security tips on my site at pcanswer.com.

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A syndicated technology columnist for more than two decades, Larry Magid serves as on air Technology Analyst for CBS Radio News. His technology reports can be heard several times a week on the CBS Radio Network. Magid is the author of several books including "The Little PC Book."