Are There Still Unsecure And Safe Shops Online

Posted on by blogger

Let us say you found a $50 tablet computer online. Seems like a great deal. You feel wonderful that you chose not to shop at those branded retail online stores or you would not have found that great buy. The site even had those legal looking disclaimers and it asked all the right information about shipping details. And there was that thing that said it was secure. The question is, it is really secure?

The rule of thumb with online shopping is that if you have no clue from which business you are buying anything from don’t even try to shop there. You will risk losing money and personal information.

Security does not always mean convenience all the time. Most online shopping sites are open 24×7 from each and every corner of the globe. They try to vie for your attention by offering deals and attractive offers like comparison pricing, free gifts, discounts and free shipping. Most people who would like to save on gas and time, find shopping online very appealing.

However, are there still unsecure online shops that can wreak havoc in your life? The answer is yes.

If you would like to shop safely online, you need to abide by some basic security considerations:

1. Reputable online shops mean better protection. Shop with the more popular online retailers. Bigger retailers have more to lose if their reputation for security gets tossed out so they ensure that their sites are protected as much as possible. Their reputation is at stake if your information gets misused through any laxity of security on their part.

2. When you are in doubt, check out the retailer. If you find a great deal at an online store you have never heard of, look at their home page. Click the contact us link and look at the information. If there are no verifiable phone numbers and there is only an email address available, avoid that retailer like the plague. If there is a phone number, it would be best if you can try to call. If no human answers, or if the human can’t give you answers that make sense, do not risk shopping at that site.

3. Having encryption does not always mean security. When you shop online and you are about to enter the credit card information take a look at your browser’s address bar. You need the “http” to change into “https” plus a closed padlock icon needs to appear on the page. This padlock informs you that your information is secure. If that padlock is nowhere to be found and the URL does not change to “https” do not enter your credit card information. Even when there is the padlock and the “https”, it won’t hurt to look at the company’s privacy policy.

Another rule of thumb is that if the URL contains numbers in the beginning, like http://100.67.180.101@670%7878%, chances are, it is a scam.

4. Avoid using shared computers. Shared computers, especially the kind you see at a cyber-cafe is never safe. Many hackers can install a small device called the keylogger on the back of the keyboard. It is a device that captures everything you type. There are times when the keylogger is installed as software and therefor very hard to detect. The best thing to do is to avoid using shared computers when typing important information as credit card details or passwords.

5. Never pay with a debit card. Credit cards offer more protection. If a retailer tries to rip you off, you can always dispute the charges. With debit cards, the money is immediately credited to the retailer and it may take many months to get your money back if you ever actually get it back.

Shopping online can be a safe and secure experience provided you use your common sense and abide by certain basic security suggestions as those outlined above.

Safe Internet Shopping

Posted on by blogger

SAFE INTERNET SHOPPING That certainly seems to be the question on everyones minds these days, and it should be. The Internet has opened up the world of products and services to all of us in ways we could not have imagined even 5 years ago. Today shopping on the Internet is commonplace. We shop online for convenience, because we hate the crowds at the mall and the rude sales people, gas prices are so high, there are no close shopping centers to where we live or simply we are unable to get out to do any shopping. The following contains a few things that might make you feel safer about shopping on the internet, what to look for when shopping and who to go to when you feel you have been wronged. You may also find this information under Is Internet Shopping Safe at www.allthatshopping.com HOW SECURE IS YOUR TRANSACTION? How do you tell if the Internet connections are secure? “Identity Theft” sometimes occurs when someone gets your credit card, bank account or social security number and buys goods or gets credit cards or loans in your name. Carefully guard personal information that might allow a thief to impersonate you or use your credit.

Industry has developed technology that can scramble sensitive information, such as your credit card number, so that only the merchant you are dealing with and your credit card issuer can read it. There are several ways to determine if you have that protection when you are sending payment information on the web. Look for the picture of the unbroken key or closed lock in your browser window. Either one indicates that the security is operative. A broken key or any open lock indicates it is not. Look to see if the web address on the page that asks for your credit card information begins with “https:” instead of “http.” Https indicates a security in operation page. Some web sites use the words “Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)” or a pop up box that says you are entering a secure area. These security protections do not work in e-mail. So, make sure you send personal and payment information in a secure web transaction. Would you rather give your credit card information over the phone? Many web merchants allow you to order online and give your credit card information over the phone. If you do this, make a note of the phone number, company, the date and time of your call, and the name of the person who recorded your credit card number.

Different passwords? Passwords are required at various stages of computer use and web shopping to help assure that someone is not misusing your computer or personal information. If you use a password to log on to your network or computer, use a different password for orders. Some web sites may require you to create a password for future orders. You may want to create a special password for particularly sensitive sites, such as your home banking site. Choose your password. The best passwords are not your address, birth date, phone number, recognizable words, or even your pet’s name (which might be guessed by someone who has other information about you.). Each website is different and may ask for a certain minimum number of letters, numbers and punctuation marks. An easy way to create a memorable password is to take the first letter of each word in an expression or song lyric, and add some numbers and punctuation marks. For example, “tmottobg!5” is derived from a line in “Take Me Out To The Old Ball Game.” Recording your password Don’t write down any password near your computer where someone could see it or carry it in your purse or billfold. If you do record it somewhere, reverse the order of the characters or transpose some letters or numbers. That way, someone finding it won’t have discovered your true password. Who wants to know your password or other identifying information? Be very careful about responding to an e-mail, phone call, fax, or letter from anyone who asks for your password(s), social security number, birth date, bank account, credit card number, mother’s maiden name, or other personal information. Sellers and financial institutions do not ask you for such information unless you are entering into a transaction with them.

Bad Shopping Experiences Make Online Shoppers Skeptical About Online Clothes Shopping

Posted on by blogger

Hidden costs, delayed deliveries, billing errors, mismanagement in dealing with orders and deliveries, false claims and promises about discounts and other offers, ineffective and unresponsive customer support, exorbitant Shipping costs, substandard products with bad finishing.these are few amongst the vast list of complaints that online shoppers are grumbling about lately when it comes to e-shopping for clothes.

Does that mean shopping for clothes online is a troublesome affair and absolutely not worth it? Well, not really.if you are a smart shopper!!

All is not lost, yet. The key is to identify a genuine and honest shopping e-store. Once thats done, online shopping is a childs play.

Get to know the e-tailors better. In order to get hold of a reliable online shopping store, little time has to be invested in basic investigations. Checking up on a particular shopping portal always pays off. Reading online reviews and testimonials gives a basic idea of its flaws and strong points. Its always safe to opt for an online store that has been around for quite a while. Nowadays online shopping portals are mushrooming at a rapid pace, and quite a few of them disappear just as quickly. Hence, its always better to depend on the experienced players as they would know how to do things the right way.

The bigger the better? Not always. Its not always true that an online clothes e-store with the largest number of products necessarily be the best. Mismanagement often occurs when theres too much to handle. Rather than the number of clothing items, the point to focus on is the style, quality and pricing of the clothing items of a particular clothes shopping portal.

Its more about the services. While the same outfit can be spotted in several online shopping e-stores, the way its stitched and the finishing can alter the look of the whole outfit. So its equally important to assess the quality of the related services along with the quality of the product. Services would also include customer support since they are the Go-To people in case of problems, queries, confusions, etc. And if a shopping portal lacks friendly and helpful customer support, it obviously means that they dont care two hoots about the customers and their queries.

Beware of false and tall claims. Assured free gifts, immediate delivery promises, large discount offers, etc are all ways and means to attract potential and existing customers. Not always are these promises fulfilled up to the mark. Hence judging a shopping portal on the basis of claims too good to be true isnt a good approach.

However, shopping for outfits with the right online e-store can be quite convenient and rewarding as one can shop anytime, anywhere, avoid rush and long billing queues, compare prices and products along with experiencing many other advantages which has led to this paradigm shift in the way one shops. It cant be denied that from the next door neighbor to international celebrities, everyone is taken to online shopping.

For more details please log on to: http://www.cbazaar.com/

Lessons from a Shopping Mall

Posted on by blogger

On a cloudless summer day in suburban Chicago, a woman put her two children in the car and drove to the shopping mall. There she met one of her best girlfriends, who also came to the mall with her kids.

The group of two moms and four kids spent the whole day at the mall, having lunch in the cafeteria and then leisurely strolling, shopping and people watching. An afternoon movie in the attached theatre and malted milkshakes at the ice cream parlor finished off the mall excursion before the women drove back to their respective homes to prepare dinner.

These two women absolutely loved the mall. In their minds, it was one of the greatest places on Earth. After all, the mall was exciting, full of the latest and greatest retailers, a state-of-the-art movie theatre and plenty of free parking. Even better, the climate controlled indoor environment made it possible for a whole day of shopping and entertainment without being subjected to Chicago’s often extreme weather. No doubt about it; the mall was THE place to see and be seen.

That was 1968. It was the heyday of the enclosed regional shopping mall in America.

Here’s how this story might read in 2011:

A well-educated, working mom is able to duck out of her office for a couple hours at lunch to catch up on some long-deferred errands. With the kids in school, it’s her chance to actually get things done. That’s critical, because evenings and weekends are filled with dance lessons, soccer practice and select-league baseball games that often require the family to spend weekends at out-of-town tournaments.

Her challenge is to fit a whole day’s slate of errands into two hours. She drives her minivan to the power center located along the freeway. There she takes advantage of a 30%-off discount card she received in the mail from Kohl’s department store before stopping by the Wal-Mart Super Center to stock up on non-perishable consumables mostly manufactured in China. She takes care of mailing packages and dropping off dry cleaning at her friendly mega grocery store’s customer service counter.

Next, she speeds over to the lifestyle center, an outdoor mall with heavy landscaping, upscale national-chain retailers and a nice-but-fake-looking faade. There she purchases high-end cosmetics (the all-natural kind that are never tested on animals) and a dress for the coming weekend’s formal dinner. Before jumping in the minivan, she grabs a double latte, a little reward for getting so much done so quickly. She must head back to the office and cram in her work before picking up the kids from their after-school program.

Indeed, times have changed.

As the lives of retail customers have evolved, the retailers and the shopping mall owners have had to change in order to keep up. Today’s harried shopper simply doesn’t have the time to spend the whole day at the mall. Speed and convenience are critically important. Shoppers still want luxury and entertainment, but they have to be easily accessible and located close to homes or offices.

Consequently, we now see many of those old malls, the ones that were gleaming and glorious in 1968, being torn down and replaced with big-box retailers, open-air lifestyle centers and mixed-use “walkable” villages.

A perfect example is Randhurst Mall built in 1962 in the Chicago suburb of Mt. Prospect, Ill. According to Midwest Real Estate News, the once-popular Randhurst is now desolate, so crews are demolishing most of it to make way for a mixed-use center that will be home to offices, a hotel and a bunch of entertainment businesses in addition to an updated mix of retailers.

Retailers and retail landlords either keep up with the trends or they die.

Well, retailers certainly aren’t alone, are they? Your business needs to adapt too.

Keep in mind that, as a person, you are essentially a business. You are a business of one, a business unto yourself. In a lot of ways, you (as a business of one) have much in common with retailers. Like a retailer, you are selling a product (yourself). Like a retailer, you want to portray your product in the most desirable way while making it extremely convenient to your customers. Like a retailer, you must adapt to the changing needs and preferences of the public.

Regardless of what you do for a living, you must place your clients on a pedestal. Their needs and wants are not only paramount, they’re moving targets.

Are you doing whatever it takes to keep up? Are you willing to tear down a 1960’s-era mall and replace it with one of today’s hot new shopping developments? Stay ahead of the trend or risk being squashed by it!

Useful Security Tips For Safe Online Shopping

Posted on by blogger

If you are hesitant to do online shopping or payments, this article will give you the best security tips so that you may go ahead and shop online without worry about safety and security of using personal information online. I have a few tips for those who do want to enjoy the benefits of shopping from home and those who want to get a break from running around to pay bills. This is also for all my friends who want to, but are afraid to transact online for fear of sharing financial information.

Shop with a credit card, not a debit card – Credit cards always have better protection and support from the card companies, so just in case something goes wrong, the have the authority to stop/cancel the transaction within some time period. On debit cards however, the money goes as you pay. So, even if you have protection, the money is already gone.

Use one card for all your online shopping – It is easier to keep track of transactions on one card and you will be able to check your statement easily.

Use one computer (preferably password locked) for online shopping – When you shop online frequently, use same computer and have a login password enabled on it. It is not just for security from unwary users, but also a protection from some viruses (namely trojans).

Use newly opened browser for all online shopping or payments – Always close all windows of the browser and open afresh for online shopping. Also do not open multiple tabs for shopping and surfing. For surfing, use another different browser. For example if you use Google chrome for shopping, then for surfing at same time, use Internet explorer or Firefox or Opera.

Always close browser window after completing purchase – Even if you have to surf net afterwards, close the browser windows once and then open again. This is very important as you may have noticed that even banks ask you to close window after you log out (it is important to close not just tab but all the browser windows). The explanation for the and previous point lies in the fact that browsers store information on your computers in “cookies”. Reliable sites delete important security information on closing of browser though unimportant personal info may be retained.

Never click on links in emails – Even if the mail is from someone you know, do not click on links in emails. It can be a potential source of viruses and hence security compromise on your PC. Who can be sure if your known contact’s computer isn’t security compromised.

Check the site name and URL in the browser address bar – When proceeding to pay for a purchase, always keep an eye on the site name and URL in the address bar of the browser(that is where you type the site URL for going to the site). It will either be starting with same site name of will be the third party site like PayPal, CCAvenue, etc. Check the third party site (if you are not sure) to be a payment gateway before you make payment.

Look for SSL sign/padlock in browser address bar – Before making payment, check for https:// in the address bar URL and for the SSL sign. SSL means data is sent encrypted over the net and only target site can decode it. (When a SSL Digital Certificate is installed on a web site, users can see a padlock icon at the bottom area of the navigator)

Use a latest and updated browser – You may use any operating system like Windows, Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora etc) or mac but use the newer browsers for online shopping. A new and updated browser will have less security loopholes and better viewer experience too. Avoid using older browsers like IE6/IE7.

General Precautions as for any shopping – Last advice, but not the least, as for all shopping, do get a gist of the fine print on the site like shipping details and time, warranty info, replacement policy, money back guarantee terms etc. For this I would suggest you shop online only on reputed sites which are well established and used. These sites invest in infrastructure and security and hence are more suitable for a good shopping experience online.

Use price comparison sites for faster and foolproof shopping – This is not exactly a safety tip, but is a smart shopping guideline. Price comparison sites usually present prices from various reputed online shopping stores in one place and you may try them for getting a good deal.

Our website, www.price-hunt.com is one such price comparison engine and it provides an instant search into major stores to give you the best price for your shopping item. I am sure you will get the best of all prices there. Since you have made it to this part of the article, I am sure you will give online shopping or online payments a definite try, and be a part of the future of retail shopping.