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