Is Online Shopping Better Than a Trip to the Mall?

With millions of things to buy, online shopping is a convenient way to see and compare many products at once. What's more, you don't have to get a ride from your mom or fight for a parking spot at the mall. In a world that is so connected, there are a lot of advantages to having marketplaces online:

• Easy comparison shopping. You don't want to waste your paycheck on something that isn't worth the price. Many sites offer forums where you can read customer reviews, compare products and prices, or ask questions and chat with other shoppers.
• Unique features. Whether you're shopping online or at the mall, you don't want to wander from store to store looking for something you may never find. Online auction sites can help you locate rare or hard-to-find items, such as a discontinued lip gloss color or a vintage comic book.
• More purchasing options. Online retailers want to make it easy for you to buy, even if you don't have a debit or credit card of your own. If the site doesn't let you send in a check or money order, or use a secure online payment service such as PayPal, it will most likely let you compile a wish list that you can show your parents.

Whether you're shopping with your own debit or credit card, or just have your parents' permission to use theirs, be careful not to get ripped off or scammed online. You can't see your retailer when you enter personal information and click "Buy," so it's important to do a few things to make sure you have a safe online shopping experience:

• Connect to a secure network. Any time you enter personal information online, such as a credit card number, be sure that you are connected to a secure network, one that requires a user name and password authentication when you log on. If you're at a local Hotspot sipping a latte and shopping over a wireless network—or using a public computer at the library—wait to make your purchase until you can connect to a secure network. A scammer sitting next to you, or even in an apartment across the street, can tap into an unsecured network and steal your personal information, which they can later use to make purchases or sell in chat rooms to multiple buyers.
• Make sure you're shopping on a trustworthy Web site. A reputable retailer should list an address and a phone number. If you haven't heard of the store before, do a Web search. See if you can find customer feedback or reputation statistics. If you give your personal information to a phony online retailer, you could end up getting scammed.
• Don't fall for "free." Offers that seem "too good to be true" probably are. Pop-up ads and e-mail offers that look flashy and offer free or discounted stuff aren't really out to save you a buck. Their purpose is to help the person who created them. Offers like these may be hiding malicious or unwanted software that can that can lead to system crashes, data loss, and even stolen identities.

For more information about safe online shopping, see "How to Shop Safely Online".