From: bobrankin@ULSTER.NET
Reply-To: TOURBUS-Request@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
To: TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
Subject: TOURBUS - 8 Dec 1998 - Holiday Shopping

    _________ ____________ ________ __________ _____________ ___ _
   /         |            /        |          |             /   | \
  |     "Why | Surf When / You Can | Ride The | Bus?"      /    |  \
  |__________|__________/__________|__________|___________/     |   \
 /                                                       /______|----\
|          ALL NEW! ALL FREE - POSTCARDS ONLINE!         |//////|    |
|  Send a FREE Postcard today!  Laughing, Dancing,       |//////|    |
|  Singing Cards for you and all your friends! Hundreds  |//////|    |
|  of Animated Postcards. Customize and send yours now!  |//////|    |
|             http://www.postcardsonline.com             |//////|    |
\________________________________________________________|______|____|
    /   \  /   \                                             /   \
    \___/  \___/  T h e   I n t e r n e t   T o u r B u s    \___/


           TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPIC: HOLIDAY SHOPPING ONLINE

Online shopping - it's a multi-billion dollar business.  Seems people
have finally gotten the message that it's safe to whip out the plastic
in cyberspace, and they're opting to avoid the crowded malls this
holiday season.  Here's some info to make your shopping on the Web
a little easier.

+-------------- GREETINGS FROM TWIN PEAKS GOURMET -----------------+
   If you haven't stopped by you're missing out on great FOOD and
   wonderful FREE stuff! We have over 250 tasty TREATS to choose
   from, including many GIFTS under $20. Want something for FREE?
    Enter our food GIVEAWAY, browse our culinary CLUES and read
     about CULINARY history in our Newsletters...all for free!
            Subscribe at mailto:tpeaks-on@mail-list.com
+--------------> http://tpeaks.com/44/tourbus.html <---------------+

+----------- SAVE! 2 FOR 1 ON MOST INKJET CARTRIDGES --------------+
 EPSON S020089: 2 FOR $25 / CANON BCI-21: 2 FOR $17 / EPSON S020093:
    2 for $13.50 / CANON BJI-201: 2 for $8 / ONE HP51645A $19.99
   Ideas needed for "WHY CARTRIDGES MAKE GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS"
           Visit OUR SECURE SITE FOR FANTASTIC PRICES.
+------ http://www.acsmsupplies.com  or  Call 888-429-9373 --------+


If you hate crowds, and you're looking for an alternative to telephone
shopping, the Web may be just the ticket.  But the convenience of point
and click purchasing isn't the only benefit of online shopping.  Some
online stores offer special discounts for Internet customers, and
consumers can also shop smarter by taking advantage of comparison
shopping services and intelligent agents.

These sites will help you by providing product reviews and comparisons,
and even point you to the online store where you can get the best deal.

I poked around online and found that prices on the SONY DVP-S300 DVD
Player ranged from $389 to $596.  And it's probably even higher at your
local department store.  I did my research at a nifty site called

   
   MySimon - http://www.MySimon.com 

...which claims to be the world's most intelligent shopping agent.
MySimon is very useful because it scans dozens of retail websites in
REAL TIME to find the current prices.  That means a store could change
their price and MySimon will know right away. Another similar service
is Excite's Product Finder at

   
   Excite SHopping - http://www.excite.com/shopping 

BUT IS IT SAFE?

Even though most browsers have offered secure transaction features for
some time, there are many netizens who remain skittish about using
credit cards online.  Some people are wary of shopping on the Internet,
because they fear a retailer may not be legitimate or a hacker will get
their credit card number.  To a certain degree, that fear is healthy,
but you can shop online with peace of mind if you keep these points in
mind:

- Think twice before entering your credit card number into an e-mail
  message.  E-mail is about as secure as a paper postcard, so it's
  possible an employee of an Internet service could sneak a peak at your
  message.

- Shop at secure web sites.  You can tell you are in a secure site
  when the little padlock on the bottom of the screen looks locked,
  and the web address begins with HTTPS instead of HTTP.  A connection
  with a secure server ensures that all data is encrypted before
  leaving your computer so nobody can eavesdrop on your credit card
  number or other personal information.

  This browser encryption technology is called SSL (secure sockets layer),
  is in use worldwide and has proven to be extremely effective.  It's
  often said that online shopping with an SSL connection is just as safe
  as giving a waiter your credit card in a restaurant.  If you don't think
  twice about doing that, or ordering products over the phone, you should
  feel at ease about ordering online from a secure site.  It's safe!

- Never buy from a spammer.  People who abuse the Internet and annoy
  millions of users by mass mailing their pitch should receive your
  scorn, not your hard-earned cash.  If they flout the rules of the
  online world, they're most likely crooks in the physical world.

- Contact your local attorney general or other consumer fraud
  authorities if any problems arise.  Many consumer protection agencies
  are becoming computer savvy, so don't hesitate to complain to them.
  You can also find the Better Business Bureau online
  .  You can visit there to submit a complaint form
  or check their online business reports database (for certain US
  cities) to see if a company has any complaints on file.

WHERE TO FIND IT

Okay, you're sold on the concept of doing all your holiday shopping on
the Net.  A few clicks, a bit of tappity tap, then you can sit back and
smirk at frustrated friends fighting the rush hour mall crowds.  But
where do you find that special something for Aunt Belle?  Here are some
good places to start your online shopping expedition:

- The Internet Mall - The world's largest shopping mall, with thousands
  of merchants and stores offering a complete range of products and
  services to the consumer.

  
  http://www.InternetMall.com 

- Yahoo/Visa Shopping Guide - Links to vendors in many different
  product categories, package tracking, consumer tips and an ATM locator.

  
  http://shopguide.yahoo.com 

- Compare.Net - A complete source for product information, offering
  Product Comparisons, Side-By-Side Charts, Reviews, Discussion Groups,
  Classifieds, and Shopping Links. If you're looking for holiday.jpgt
  ideas, you can find suggestions from their product database that meet
  your budget.

  
  http://www.compare.net 

- ComputerShopper - Similar to Compare.Net, but specializing in
  computers and accessories.  Compiled by the people who print the
  monthly Computer Shopper magazine, this is the best place to go if
  you want to find a good deal on a specific computer accessory such
  as memory, modems or motherboards.  Sure beats leafing through all
  850 pages of Computer Shopper!

  
  http://www.ComputerShopper.com 

A NOTE ABOUT TOURBUS PLUS
-------------------------

TOURBUS PLUS, the special members-only weekend edition of TOURBUS, is
now one year old!  To celebrate this milestone, we're giving away a
FREE MULTIMEDIA COMPUTER to one lucky PLUS subscriber on December 15.
Here's the scoop on the system we're giving away:

  333Mhz AMD K6-2 Processor    Deluxe Keyboard and Mouse
  48MB RAM Memory              6.0 GB Hard Disk
  32X CD-ROM Drive             Sound Card and Speakers
  56K Modem                    15-inch Monitor
  Microsoft Windows 98         Lotus SmartSuite Software

Sure would be nice to have one of those in time for the holidays,
wouldn't it?  Sign up for TOURBUS PLUS today.  For more details:

   
   TOURBUS PLUS - http://www.tourbus.com/plus.htm 

See you next time!  --Bob


=====================[ TOURBUS Rider Information ]===================
   The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238
      Copyright 1995-98, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved

  Do You Like Tourbus?  Recommend It and You Could Win a Palm Pilot!
  CLICK HERE 

 Join: Send SUBSCRIBE TOURBUS Your Name to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
 Leave: Send SIGNOFF TOURBUS to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
 Archives & Advertising Info: Online at http://www.TOURBUS.com
=====================================================================

TOURBUS
HOME PAGE
LINUX
TUTORIAL
TOURBUS
ARCHIVES
, viruses, hoaxes, urban legends, search engines, cookies, cool sites
TOURBUS Site Search