Kristen Ciferri

April 29, 2005

SLM 521

Elective #9 – Online Shopping

Type of Shopping Method	Description	Website Links
Auction	Auction websites offer global trading platforms where practically anyone can trade practically anything. Just like a real live auction, viewers bid on an item and the highest bid wins at the end of the allotted time.	eBay.com ubid.com
Surplus & Clearance	These websites offer top-quality name-brand merchandise with large percentages off. They are able to do this, because they create partnerships with many leading brand-name companies, which then allows them to buy products at significant discounts. Often the merchandise is excess products that they are forced to liquidate because they produced too much of it.	Overstock.com SmartBargains.com
Comparison	These websites are shopping search engines that compare products and give the shopper results that weigh in the price, popularity and availability of products, against the reputations of merchants that sell them.	BizRate.com PriceSCAN.com PriceGrabber.com
Gift Certificates	At gift certificates websites, the shopper can by a gift card that is just like a credit card that can be spent at online stores or the shopper can buy a wide variety of gift cards and gift certificates to favorite stores, restaurants and more. The shopper submits the dollar amount and the recipient can choose a gift card to dozens of restaurants, retailers and entertainment venues.	GiveAnything.com. Quickgifts.com
Wish Lists	Some of these type of websites have online shopping tools that allows you to easily store items you find anywhere on the Web to a single folder. Often these tools involve software that needs to be downloaded. Other sites enables shoppers to search a variety of stores at once and find a gift for themselves or their loved ones, then create wish lists for any gift-giving occasion, and then post them online and send them to family and friends.	Baggle.com MyGiftList.com

Tips for shopping online safely:

• Check to see if the website uses any of the following methods:
• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt your credit card information or if the web address on the page that asks for your credit card information begins with "https:" instead of "http:"; if so, their using SSL technology.
• Your browser displays the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen
• You see the icon of an unbroken key at the bottom of the screen
• You see the icon of a lock on the status bar
• Make sure your browser has the most up-to-date encryption capabilities by using the latest version available from the manufacturer.
• Check the website's statements about the security provided for your information. This information is generally at the bottom of the homepage, on the order form or in the ‘FAQ’ section.
• Shop with companies you know.
• Keep records. Be sure to print a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records. Also, check your credit card statements every month.