The internet has become like a huge shopping mall. Use the table below to guide your choices of where to shop when looking for specific types of goods or services.

Method	Description	Suggested Sites
Browsing	Like flipping pages in a catalog, the shopper may look on the shelves of the store to see what’s available	Buy.com Dick's Sporting Goods
Comparison Shopping	These sites allow the shopper to compare prices of items as well as the quality of service from the retailer.	PriceGrabber.com Bizrate.com
Gift Certificates	These sites allow the shopper to purchase gift certificates in various amounts for all sorts of merchandise such as restaurants, retail stores or online outlets.	GiftCertificates.com Amazon Gift Certificates
Wish Lists	These sites allow shoppers to view lists provided by users for special events, like wedding or baby showers or shopping for college. One caveat: you must be a member to be able to look at the lists.	Bed Bath & Beyond Wish Lists Froogle Shopping List
Surplus & Clearance	These sites allow shoppers the chance to get in on special deals because supply is limited or most of the items are on clearance.	Overstock.com SmartBargains.com

The internet opens up a world of possibilities for shopping in your slippers. With this in mind, one should not drop their guard about safety and security when shopping on the internet. Here are a couple of security tips:

Ï Never respond to emails requesting a credit card number or password. Only provide this information as part of a secure transaction on a website. You can tell a transaction is secure by one of two things: a) there is a combination lock in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen, or, b) the URL has an ‘s’ at the beginning such as https://.

Ï You always have the option of phoning in your credit card number if you are unsure about entering it on a website.

Ï Report problems with retailers immediately to your credit card company.