How to shop online safe and cheap

The main ingredients of a satisfactory "online shopping" are to find the best price and learn to identify a website to be reliable.

The fact that new technologies have crept in at home, almost by the back door, has facilitated the lives of more than one. Smart homes, online purchases without leaving the couch, work from home, banking, all this and much more at a single click.

However, on the Net you can find everything, good and bad. How to discern what information is valid and what not, what website is safe and what can be victims of abuse sometimes is a complicated task. Sometimes the user is powerless against abuse that could have been avoided by just paying a little attention.

Tips for dealing with a safe shopping online:

* First, secure your own Computer before going online.

* Visit sites competitive in seeking the best offer. As in traditional commerce, review what web sites are those that offer best deals, always a plus.

* Please note prices. Often we end up paying more. This is because some companies sell their products without displaying taxes, causing the loss to consumers after the payment. Misleading is the order of the day.

* Identify if the company offers the necessary infrastructure for transactions. A good sign is if the company provides the user with several forms of payment: credit cards, debit cards and Paypal among others.

* The company which is selling the product should have contact details. It is recommended to take note of them. Beyond an email address, it would be useful to get an address and a phone number, if possible, fixed.

* A bad sign is if the company does not have a section on confidentiality of data. The company should have a privacy statement which bounds it not to disclose your personal details without your authorization.

* Make the payment in a safe place. Please avoid cyber cafes or Wireless hot-spots for online shopping. As these Networks are open to all eyes.

Four points which help to identify whether a website is safe for secure transaction:

1. A reliable place is to start with https:// in the URL, where the "s" shows that the company is safe. Sometimes this "s" appears only at the time of payment.
2. Another detail is the image of the padlock at the bottom of the browser at the time of payment. If the lock is open, it means that it is not safe. This type of coding involves a web user data (sending credit card and personal information) safety.
3. If icon of the lock is closed, it indicates that the site is suitable for making payment.
4. Nowadays, many sites use the services of Verisign Attachment 7131 which provides the secure passage of your transaction details over the Internet. If the logo is there, relax and enjoy shopping on that website.

Generally, companies engaged in electronic commerce must meet certain standards to protect the privacy of users, maintain privacy, ensure a safe payment, notice of how orders may be cancelled, make the delivery of the product or services within the agreed time, protect children and act on complaints, regardless of the place of residence.

Nice article

Or you can use a third party payment processor like ccbill, paypal or Google checkout so you know that your credit/debit card details are in safe hands.

Well written article.
Rep+ (I know that it's very small for senior users like you, but I have to do it)

But, even after taking so much care about the website(s) we use, if there are security faults at the level of the user, it will be of no good at all.

@itsmemad
It would not be good to link to the 'http://www.indiabroadband.net/computer-security/10485-security-measures-when-going-online.html' thread because, it is too old now.

Well written article. Rep+.

Well done.

Originally Posted by itsmemad

4. Nowadays, many sites use the services of Verisign Attachment 7131 which provides the secure passage of your transaction details over the Internet. If the logo is there, relax and enjoy shopping on that website.

How do you make sure it is not forged? Phishing is a huge source of siphoning away of money on the internet by "bad guys". Although I don't have any stats, if ever people search for a Verisign logo to reassure themselves, all the phished sites would have them. (I'm sure many already do).

Why not use a debit card, or a seperate bank account and just keep enough funds for a particular ONLINE transaction.?

So if some one else
gets the details the card details/bank account fund transfer will be refused !

Originally Posted by safeguy

Well done.

How do you make sure it is not forged? Phishing is a huge source of siphoning away of money on the internet by "bad guys". Although I don't have any stats, if ever people search for a Verisign logo to reassure themselves, all the phished sites would have them. (I'm sure many already do).

Yes, I meant that if all the four points mentioned above are true for a website, then it's an indicator that the website is authentic.

Another advice I can give here is to use a virtual credit card with pre-set limits. Most banks are now providing this facility.

Originally Posted by itsmemad

Yes, I meant that if all the four points mentioned above are true for a website, then it's an indicator that the website is authentic.

Ah see your point. But since this can easily be forged, I'd rather not consider it a way to verify authenticity in the first place.

Originally Posted by safeguy

Ah see your point. But since this can easily be forged, I'd rather not consider it a way to verify authenticity in the first place.

You can check the digital signature. Digital signature cannot be duplicated. For example, if the digital signature is from Verisign, if you click on the signature, it will be verified from the Verisign web site.

Originally Posted by just4kix

You can check the digital signature. Digital signature cannot be duplicated. For example, if the digital signature is from Verisign, if you click on the signature, it will be verified from the Verisign web site.

That's an important distinction that needs to be made. Whether the digital signature is valid or not needs to be checked, NOT whether the Verisign logo is placed on the website or not.

Verisign logo on the main page has no meaning. One should check the icon and certificate in the status bar area.

Originally Posted by cancer10

I think another good way is to use Paypal as its safe and secured. Works with almost all Indian Banks.

Agreed. But Paypal is not always an option at all places.