Skip the crowds this year by shopping online

In addition to some traditional time off with family, the Thanksgiving shopping season generally offers the best sales and promotions of the year. Now with the ease of online shopping you have another reason to skip the crowds this year. Instead, you can shop conveniently from home this Thanksgiving holiday without missing the big sales!

Thanksgiving Day 2011 is November 24. The day marking the traditional beginning of the Christmas shopping season is Black Friday which is the day after Thanksgiving. It’s been called Black Friday for many years now and that’s because for some retailers it’s the first time of the year in which they are in the black — as in they are finally making a profit instead of being financially “in the red.” Black Friday is known for its big sales, huge discounts, and other promotions designed to lure customers into the store.

Interestingly, however, while Black Friday is usually one of the most crowded days of the year in terms of customers, it is not always the largest in terms of expenditures. That day is usually the Saturday before Christmas which is probably due to all those who procrastinate or finally just give up and settle for something instead of their ideal gift item.

About a decade or so ago the new wave of Internet shopping created another interesting consumer trend — kind of an “Internet Black Friday.” That day occurred when millions of weary shoppers return to work after the Thanksgiving holidays. Many had shopped themselves silly on Black Friday only to find the sale items out of stock or not what they really wanted. They arrived at work on Monday and had access to their office computers which, unlike many homes at the time, had high speed Internet connections. There they ordered many of the items they had hoped to buy on Black Friday. After analysts noticed this new trend they called it Cyber Monday. This shopping pattern became stronger as online retailers responded with even better coupon codes, free shipping discounts, and other online promotions.

Cyber Monday 2011 is November 28. Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday used to mark the official start of the online shopping season for Christmas gift buying. However, that trend has been pushed back as more and more homes were wired with high speed Internet access. Now millions of people actually begin their online shopping on Thanksgiving afternoon — either by finding great bargains while planning their Black Friday conquests or by taking advantage of the always-on Internet and now common Thanksgiving Day-only sales online.

So now that we’ve introduced you to the online world of Thanksgiving shopping, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday we hope you can relax more this year and enjoy this Thanksgiving season. We also hope you can save more on Thanksgiving. Please take advantage of the big sales and special coupon codes for this season. When you shop with us be sure to check out our Thanksgiving Deals and Black Friday & Cyber Monday Promotions pages for a list of seasonal coupons and offers that can save you greatly.

There’s an incredible Tommy Hilfiger deal that I’ve got to tell you about since it is the best I’ve ever seen. It only lasts for 2 days though so you have to hurry. Today through tomorrow, November 5, 2010, you can double-dip at Tommy Hilfiger’s online store for a 30% savings and then a 20% coupon code discount after that!

Here’s How to  Double Dip at Tommy Hilfiger Online:

1. Go to our Tommy Hilfiger coupon codes page and click on our 30% off coupon link (this link expires on November 5, 2010). This discount will show in your shopping cart.
2. After filling your shopping cart with the items you wish to buy, use our 20% off Tommy Hilfiger coupon code SBTH20NOV1 for an additional 20% off everything including sale items. There is no minimum order size required for this coupon; however, if you spend over $125 you’ll also get free shipping!

Spread the word and enjoy this special because it’s the best I’ve ever seen for Tommy Hilfiger. Be sure to check out the Tommy Hilfiger’s Sale section for their already discounted items and save even more on top of the coupons above. Enjoy!

Buying groceries online? Does that sound weird? It’s actually becoming more and more popular all over the country. Read on to learn how to save time and money by purchasing your groceries online.

Shopping online is a great option for busy couples and families. Put together your grocery list, order it, pay for it, and schedule delivery for when you’re home. Saves you time and in many cases, you can also use online coupons to save money on many different items that you use everyday.

We have compiled a list that contains some of the more popular online grocery shopping websites. Several of these sites belong to traditional brick and mortar stores too and their delivery areas are limited geographically. However, there are several others that will deliver anywhere within the United States and beyond. We want to briefly hit some of the highlights of each store. In many cases these sites will offer online discount codes or offer free shipping.

Amazon – Amazon features a wide variety of staple items (non-perishable). Many of the items on Amazon are also offered in bulk packages with the pricing and portion sizes rivaling those of local warehouse club stores. Amazon also offers what they refer to as Amazon Prime, which for $79/year will get free unlimited two day shipping (no minimum purchase required). Their selection is vast and you are also given the ability to read other shoppers’ comments on various items before deciding to add them to your own ‘cart’.

Peapod – Peapod is restricted to certain geographic areas (Chicago, Milwaukee, SE WI, CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ, DC, MD, VA). However, you are able to order virtually anything needed through their website (fresh produce, dairy, meats, etc.). Again, pricing is competitive and they feature sale items, promotions, and discount coupons.

Meijer – Although their physical stores are all located within OH, KY, IN, MI, and IL, they ship products to all 50 states. However, they will not ship grocery items to Alaska or Hawaii. Pricing and selection is great on their website. They feature sales items and offer promotions such as 5% off of case quantity orders.

Vons – Currently, Vons.com offers delivery to residential locations in the following areas: San Fernando Valley, South Orange County, Inland Empire, North Orange County, San Gabriel Valley, West LA, South Bay, Temecula, and San Diego in California and Las Vegas, NV. Delivery charges range from $6.95 to $12.95 depending on time frame requested for delivery. However, for first time online shoppers they do offer free shipping on orders over $50. For those of you who live in Southern California and don’t want to battle traffic just to get to the grocery store, this may be an excellent alternative!

Safeway – Safeway.com offers delivery to residential locations in the following areas in Northern California: San Francisco, Marin, Greater North Bay, East Bay, Sacramento, San Jose, Peninsula, Monterey, and Salinas. They also deliver to Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Greater Phoenix, AZ; and Maryland, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Delivery charges range from $6.95 to $12.95 depending on the time frame requested for delivery. As with Vons, Safeway offers first time shoppers free shipping for online orders over $50.

Specialty Grocery Stores Online:

MexGrocer.com – MexGrocer has been shipping Mexican food products and related items since 2000. They ship throughout the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, and to APO/FPO military base addresses. They often have some great promotional offers such as 20% off of orders of $30 or more, 10% off online orders, and more.

Kosher.com – Sometimes it’s difficult to find certain Kosher items in local stores. If you are looking for a particular Kosher product, Kosher.com will definitely have what you’re looking for. They also ship nationwide (including Alaska and Hawaii). With a $50 minimum purchase they now offer free home delivery to all of Manhattan and several locations in Brooklyn and the Bronx too.

Kansas City Steaks and Omaha Steaks – Both of these well known companies offer many different promotions that include free shipping, fixed rate shipping, or free items with minimum order amounts. Top quality, highly rated steaks, chicken, pork, and seafood are available through both of these sites. With BBQ season approaching quickly, you can’t go wrong ordering top quality meats from Kansas City Steaks or Omaha Steaks.

Our hope is that these descriptions and tips will be of assistance to you in ordering grocery items for you and your family. We encourage you to give try online grocery shopping. It may become a routine activity for you!

These days, it seems that school supply lists are getting more and more detailed while becoming more expensive too. In light of this trend, we have compiled a few ways for families to save money on school supplies, clothing, and many of the other items needed to start the school year off right. So, whether you home school, have kids in a K-12 school or you’re equipping a college-bound teenager, it’s possible to save money while getting quality, name brand products for them at the same time by shopping online.

Pens, Pencils, and More

Be sure that you consider what your kids will need for the entire year, not just to get started, when shopping for pens, pencils, erasers, paper, and other items on the list. Consider buying supplies in larger, bulk quantities. By purchasing these items in larger quantities, you’ll not only save money, but you’ll have the items your students need for the entire school year. This reduces the chance of you having to go out and buy the same items later at potentially higher prices too. BulkOfficeSupply.com and iBuyOfficeSupply.com are both great places to shop for items on your kid’s supply list. There are several good coupons and discount codes available for both of these sites that will help you save even more.

Clothing and Accessories

Many popular retail stores such as Walmart, Target, Sears, JCPenney, Kohls, and Macy’s offer great incentives (price drops, discount codes, and coupons) for purchasing items through their websites. One frugal tip that is encouraged is to find out what your children are interested in as far as the clothing and other items they need, create a list of their sizes, and then shop online for the best prices. Between free shipping and other discounts available only online, you can potentially save a bundle on school clothes and accessories.

Footwear

It seems that shoes have become one of the most expensive fashion items for kids these days. Every kid wants to wear the latest/greatest sneaker or shoe to school and who can blame them! Some of the new styles are really cool! Unfortunately, it can take a big chunk of your budget to provide your kids with cool shoes. Our advice? After finding out proper shoe sizes, sit down with your kids at the computer and shop online for the best deal. Again, websites like 6pm.com, ShoeMall, ShoeBuy.com, and Footlocker.com all offer great discounts for customers who purchase online. Even manufacturers like Adidas, Nike, Vans, Timberland, and Keen have discounts and coupon codes in place. It’s pretty easy to shop online and save considerably over the prices found at most local stores and malls.

Uniforms and Standardized Dress

Whether it’s clothing needed to comply with standardized dress codes or school uniforms that are needed for a private school, we have compiled a fantastic school uniforms list of the most common places people shop online to purchase these items. One of the most popular school uniform suppliers is French Toast. This well-known brand offers several different incentives for shopping online. Not only is the pricing competitive, but you also don’t run the risk of not being able to find what you need at a local department store. Ordering direct from the manufacturer gives you the ability to get exactly what you need for your child.

School Bags

Fashion, functionality, and durability all merge together when it comes to purchasing a book bag for your kids. Whether it’s a backpack such the popular ones offered by The North Face or Jansport, to messenger bags or laptop bags, you can find the best deals by shopping online. Some of the best selections and best prices are available at eBags and LuggagePoint. One of the reasons we have singled out The North Face and Jansport is not only because they are extremely popular, but they also both feature lifetime warranties on their bags. This feature is important and should be considered when purchasing a bag. We know of many families who have used the warranties on these bags to have them repaired or replaced over the years.

Computers

Thankfully most people don’t need to purchase a new computer system every school year. But, when the time comes, it’s great to be able to shop the Internet for the best system in your price range. Dell, HP, Sony, and Apple all offer great promotions on home computers, netbooks, and notebooks. It’s possible to save several hundred dollars on great computer systems for your kids…whether they’re in grade school or college computers are a must have for completing class work.

These are just a few areas where it’s possible to save quite a bit of money (and time) by using the Internet to purchase the school supplies you need for your family. We hope you will find these helpful!

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, Black Friday is, obviously, always on a Friday. But what’s so special about Black Friday, you may ask?

Black Friday is so named because it is traditionally the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Since Christmas gift-buying provides a huge bump in sales volume for many retailers, many need such buying to avoid going into the red financially. Thus, Black Friday marks the first day of the year that some retailers go into the black, or begin to turn a profit, financially.

As shoppers, Black Friday is a great time to snap up some incredible bargains since virtually all stores — online and offline — offer big sales, coupons and other incentives to encourage consumers to buy from them. So, with this great savings opportunity in mind, I offer the following ten tips for getting the best bargains on Black Friday.

1. Create a gift list or “to buy” list.

Complicated tasks can be completed with less stress when following a plan. With millions of product options available these days it is easier to know beforehand what one wants to buy. When gifting, it is very helpful to plan out “the what” and “for whom” side of the equation well in advance so everything can be completed in a timely manner. In some cases the desired product is available only from one retailer or store so note that detail so you can watch for their next storewide sale.

2. Compare prices.

Before diving into the Black Friday sales frenzy, it is wise to know the product’s normal selling price so you can recognize a really good sale or discount and not just take the retailer’s word that the price is great. Product price comparison tools can help make this task easier by providing a price baseline to go by. Once you see a product below the price baseline you can jump on it before it sells out.

3. Know store shipping and return policies.

For gifts and items that may need to be returned it is especially helpful to know the shipping and return policies for the retailers selling the products on your list. Some retailers offer free shipping and don’t charge a restocking fee while others make returns more difficult. Knowing this difference can save a lot of headache and sometimes money later. Also, for heavy, bulky and difficult to ship items, be sure to find out if there will be a shipping surcharge associated with them. These facts can help one decide whether it makes more sense to buy the products online or offline.

4. Factor in all your costs.

Online shopping is convenient but sometimes costs more when shipping charges are factored into the equation. Traditional store shopping, though, also has “hidden” costs associated with it that online shoppers can avoid. For example, one has to get to the store and that costs money (think round trip gas or transportation costs here). If one has small children and would have to get a sitter to go shopping then those costs should be factored into the overall price for buying something at the store or mall. Once all these costs are determined it is easier to accurately compare individual product prices and then decide whether it makes more sense to buy online or offline.

5. Create a shopping strategy and budget.

Since Black Friday sales are short and sometimes cover only a few hours or just one day, it is wise to prioritize the order of stores to shop and even a timeline strategy for shopping them. This is true whether shopping online or offline. Traditional stores sometimes have extensive wait times just to get into the store. Likewise, online stores sometimes have so much web traffic that the site runs very slowly and takes longer. In some extreme cases websites can crash from trying to serve too many online shoppers at once.

Similarly, it is easy to get into a buying frenzy due to all the huge discounts available and seeing other shoppers loading their carts with lots of exciting products. To avoid overspending, it is wise to follow one’s list closely and stick with the budget outlined in advance.

6. Watch for “early bird” discounts.

Many Black Friday sales actually start early, especially online. While traditional stores are usually closed during Thanksgiving day, online retailers are open for business all the time –  that means they often have some great early bird sales on Thanksgiving day. In fact, many online retailers have special Thanksgiving Sales that only run on Thanksgiving. Likewise, many stores, both online and offline, have special early bird Black Friday sales starting at midnight or very early Friday morning. Be sure to take advantage of them when possible since these items usually sell out quickly.

7. Skip the crowds by shopping online.

Black Friday can be a stressful mess for traditional shoppers. Lots of traffic, trouble finding parking places, long lines and rude consumers competing for a limited number products are common complaints. One can skip all these hassles by shopping online from home.

Another benefit of online shopping is that many online retailers with offline storefronts offer convenient and free “ship to store” options that you can take advantage of online. Many also coordinate their online and offline sales and promotions which means you can get up early and reserve those Black Friday product specials online and pick them up later at your convenience. In those cases it’s almost like having your cake and eating it too since you get the great Black Friday prices on the products you want without all the Black Friday negatives.

Be sure to check out our special Black Friday Deals section. It links to dozens of amazing limited-time specials.

8. Strategically shop offline.

Some great Black Friday deals are only available offline in your local store. In those cases, follow your plan and bring the store advertisement page so you can document exactly what the price should be if there are any questions. Remember that you may have to go early to reserve a place in line for the limited inventory.

9. Use a major credit card instead of a debit card.

When shopping online, I recommend using a major credit card instead of a debit card since the law tends to slightly favor consumers in the event of a dispute. Also, credit card companies are familiar with resolving disputes in a timely manner. Plus, if you have a points, miles or cash back credit card then you can take advantage of those bonuses. One word of caution about interest: I don’t recommend overspending and paying interest on products bought on credit. Credit cards only benefit the consumer when paid off in full every cycle.

10. Print and/or keep your receipts.

It is a good idea when shopping online to carefully verify your order before submitting. Make sure all charges are clearly identified and all products and options are correct. Don’t forget to verify that the shipping option and fees, if any, are right before approving the order. After you submit your order be sure to either print a copy of the online receipt or save a copy of your email confirmation. Having this information in hand is essential should an error or dispute arise with your order. If possible when buying gifts get a special gift receipt so the recipient can make an exchange later if needed. This same tip applies to offline shopping as well.

So there you have my ten tips for getting the best Black Friday bargains! Now get to work scouting out the best Black Friday specials online and offline. Develop your plan, get your shopping done early, save lots of money and enjoy the rest of the holidays!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is celebrating its 25th year of promoting breast cancer awareness, education, and empowerment for women. NBCAM.org provides a wealth of resources for those fighting breast cancer, breast cancer survivors, caregivers, and the general public.

Likewise, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® leads the breast cancer movement’s effort to find raise money for breast cancer research (more than $1 billion has been invested since founding in 1982). Through charitable contributions, sponsors, partners, supporters, and major events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has become the largest international source of nonprofit funding  in the fight against breast cancer.

One way you can help support breast cancer research is by purchasing specially marked pink or pink-themed “Breast Cancer Awareness” products. The manufacturers of  these products have pledged a portion of the proceeds from them to support breast cancer research.

Below I have used our product comparison tool to link to the Breast Cancer Awareness products available online from various retailers listed on Shopping-Bargains.com. Now you can think pink and shop pink to help find a cure!

• Amazon.com Books – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• American Bridal – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Betty Mills – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Buy.com – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Collectibles Today – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Dick’s Sporting Goods – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Drugstore.com – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Fogdog Sports – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Hanes – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Kmart – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• MLB.com – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Overstock.com – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Quill – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Office Depot – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Organize.com – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Sears – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Staples – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Target – Breast Cancer Awareness Products
• Zazzle – Breast Cancer Awareness Products

Please note there are many other online retailers with Breast Cancer Awareness products you can purchase online via Shopping-Bargains.com. Some even feature special savings and promotions for the month of October.

Last week I informally surveyed our newsletter readers and asked a few questions about how they used our site navigation and searched for coupons. Here are some of the results from this very unscientific survey.

1. Do you use our categories (departments) navigation on our website (the left column)?

For this question, the answers were as follows:

Always — 18.2 %

Frequently — 54.5 %

Rarely — 27.3 %

2. Do you find what you are looking for when you use our search box?

Always — 6.1%

Frequently — 69.7%

Rarely — 18.2%

Don’t use the search box – 6.1%

3. How do you look for coupons on our site? (check all that apply)

From the answers to this question, it is clear to me that most respondents do a mix of browsing and searching for coupons on our site. I was surprised to see how many actually browsed, but then again, this non-scientific survey may have over-sampled people who prefer to read since they took the time to actually subscribe to and then read our newsletter and take the survey.

I’m thankful for those who responded to this survey. It helps me see that both search and navigation are important aspects of a coupon site. It also suggests that sorting coupons and providing a rich mix of browsing options are valuable features to offer as well.

Restaurant.com offers a little-known way to save a lot of money when you eat out at participating restaurants across the country. I’ve personally used Restaurant.com’s dining discount services many times and saved a lot of money. Today I’ll tell you how you can do so also.

Restaurant.com describes themselves as the “community matchmaker, introducing great restaurants to great people.” In short, they match eaters with restaurants. They do this by helping people save money through their discounted dining certificates for thousands of restaurants all over the country.

The Restaurant.com process is easy. You go online to their site at Restaurant.com and use their search tools to locate participating restaurants. You can search by ZIP code or do regional searches starting with your state and narrow it down to more local options (great for when you travel and don’t know the ZIP codes).

Once you’ve found the restaurant for your next dining excursion, you select a gift certificate (by value) and add it to your cart. This is where the fun and savings begins — you’ll find that most $25 gift certificates cost only $10! Likewise a $50 gift certificate usually is about $20 and a $100 gift certificate is only about $40. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? (All restaurants don’t offer the same gift certificate sizes though — some only offer $25 certificates, for example.)

As good at this discount sounds right now, let me tell you it often gets better! At Shopping-Bargains.com we frequently publish Restaurant.com coupon codes where you can get a huge discount off the already-discounted Restaurant.com gift certificates. Usually our coupon codes provide an additional 40-60% savings and occasionally more around various holidays.

Let me tell you how these Restaurant.com coupon codes work (of course, you have to enter it in the discount code box in the shopping cart and click “apply”). For example, we’ll assume you’re using a 50% off coupon code. In that case, your final cost for a $25 gift certificate is the original price of $10 minus 50% off that, or just $5! That’s right, for just $5 you are buying a $25 dining certificate for a particular restaurant. Wow, it still amazes me how much can be saved this way!

Please note there is some fine print regarding the use of Restaurant.com gift certificates so be sure to check that out in full when you place your gift certificate order online. Here are some common restaurant requirements I’ve seen:

• Minimum food purchase — usually about $35 to be eligible to use a $25 gift certificate (other discount values have different minimum food purchase requirements)
• Discount applies to food only (no alcohol is covered)
• Gratuity is often added by the restaurant before discount is applied (tip should be based on full value, not your final cost — I tip the wait staff on full value anyway since they are not the ones providing the discount)
• Dine-in orders only (not carry out or delivery)
• Minimum of two people in your dinner party

One more thing to note. After you finalize the order for your Restaurant.com gift certificate you simply print it out and you’re ready to go eat (don’t forget to make restaurant reservations if needed). Be sure to follow the instructions on the printout to abide by all policies and minimum food orders, etc. If you have any questions or problems, Restaurant.com also has a customer service department for assistance.

I’ve personally used Restaurant.com gift certificates many times and have never had any problems using them. I find the process very convenient and well-worth a few minutes of my time. The savings, especially when I can double dip with a Restaurant.com coupon code, is definitely not something I want to pass up on when I eat out.

With high-tech data encryption and other security technologies, online shopping is one of the most secure forms of commerce available. It can also be a convenient and stress-free way to address your shopping needs.

What follows are 8 tips for maximizing your online shopping experience by enhancing your security — and ultimately your peace of mind. If you follow these 8 tips you will avoid many problems.

1. Use a Secure Web Browser

Make sure the web browser on your computer is current and you have download the latest patches and updates. All major web browsers are capable of secure shopping sessions with 128-bit encryption strength.

2. Shop Secure and Reputable Stores Only

A secure web browser will not protect you if you are shopping on a site that is not secure. Reputable sites have security measures in place to protect your online shopping experience and use at least 128-bit encryption on their servers during checkout. Verify the security of your checkout session within the status bar of your browser by looking for the appropriate security icon (often a “locked” padlock). You can click on this icon for important security details about your current shopping checkout session. The absence of this icon (or an “unlocked” padlock) means your checkout session is probably not secure. Note: only the checkout session needs to be secure so don’t be alarmed if you don’t see security enabled at other times. Never enter your credit card if the session is not secure.

3. Use a Major Credit Card

Credit cards generally provide the highest level of legal protection from fraud and liability. All major credit card issuers also have customer service teams to help with dispute resolution and fraud claims should they arise.

4. Review Store Return Policies

While returns are usually not needed and many online stores make this process very easy, it’s still a good idea to review the store’s return policy so there are no surprises should you need to make a return. Please note that returns can alter the minimum order size and result in a removal of free shipping or other discount that had a minimum qualifying order size. Many stores also require a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) before they will accept a return so be sure to follow their procedures correctly.

5. Verify Order Before Final Submit

Most online shopping carts provide a final review page so you can verify your order before submitting. At this time be sure to check your shipping and billing addresses for accuracy, your items ordered (quantity, size, color, etc.), and any other order details. If you used a coupon code or discount link, then, unless stated otherwise, the appropriate action or discount should be reflected on this page. Your shipping total should be clearly stated here as well. Generally your state’s sales tax, when required, will be itemized as well. If all is correct, be sure to click the submit button (or link in some cases) to authorize the purchase.

6. Print a Receipt

After your final review and order submission, you should receive a confirmation and/or receipt (and often a second one via email). It’s a good idea to print this page (or save the confirmation email) for your records until your order has arrived and you have checked it for accuracy. This confirmation or receipt often contains store policies, shipping information, tracking numbers, customer service contact information and other helpful details. It can also expedite the return process should you need that.

7. Track Your Shipment

Many online stores will notify you via email when you order has shipped and will provide you with an electronic tracking numbers. This tracking number enables you to track the location of your package as it makes its way to you. (We have links to major shipping companies where you can track your order’s status and estimated arrival date.)

8. Carefully Check Your Products

When your order arrives, be sure to carefully check the invoice to see if any items are backordered, canceled or being sent by separate package. Many online stores have multiple warehouses and so ship a single order from many destinations meaning that your order may arrive over a period of a few days and in several different packages. Make sure all items arrived intact and without damage. Does it work? Does it fit? Are all the pieces there? These and other similar questions should be verified quickly so a return request, if needed, can be initiated before it’s too late. Often a return process must be started within 30 days of receipt or the item is no longer eligible for return.

By following these eight tips you can maximize your online shopping experience and avoid most of the problems some people experience. Many who have made these tips part of their standard online shopping procedure feel that online shopping is the most convenient form of shopping.

A few hours ago I received yet another email claiming to be from iTunes warning me that there was a problem with a recent purchase. The email looked like something Apple could have sent but I hadn’t made such a purchase recently and they did not send it.  Even if I had, though, I would have been suspicious since many scam artists create emails that look like they come from legitimate banks, PayPal, eBay, iTunes, etc. so they can lure people into “correcting” supposed account errors. By doing this, thieves can capture credit card and other personal information they can use later.

So how do you protect yourself? There’s one easy way that I recommend. Don’t click on any emails asking for credit card or account updates. Instead, if you receive such an alert, open your web browser and type the name of the bank, credit card or store website yourself and then login to update your account securely that way. Also, don’t ever send credit card information or numbers via email — most email messages are not encrypted for security.

I have shopped online for 12 years now and have not experienced any safety problems with it. Reputable stores like those on Shopping-Bargains.com have tough security measures in place that make Internet transactions more secure than phoning the order in (especially over cellular or wireless phones) or even buying in person where the store clerk has access to your credit card and/or receipt.  So with all this in mind, be extra careful with email messages as you enjoy the convenience and extra security of online shopping.