Today online shopping has become a way of life for the regular Internet surfer. However there are so many sites that offer ecommerce that you really don’t know where to carry out safe online shopping anymore! Here are some guidelines to help you get sorted!

1. Latest versions
It is essential that you download the latest browser version in your computer system before you start shopping online. Browsers typically update their versions in order to accommodate more stringent encryption mechanisms. So having access to these will ensure a better safe online shopping experience for you!

2. Secure sites
The most critical part of any shopping experience is when you need to enter your credit card information. You always end up being scared if the information is secure enough or not. Well now you can take the guesswork out – just make sure the URL portion of http ends with an s indicating that the server is secure.

3. Email clicking
Many sites keep sending in promotional emails to attract customers. However, as a rule of thumb, to practice safe online shopping you should never click on any hyperlink included inside the email. Always make sure to log in to the site by typing in the URL.

4. Spyware detectors
There are many software available free of cost these days that can greatly enhance your safe online shopping experience. These can easily find out if your computer has a spyware or not.

5. Privacy policies
Privacy policies on sites mostly get ignored by users simply because they are so long! However, the key to ensuring a good safe online shopping experience is to read the entire thing. You will then know what the site is using your personal information for, what sort of control they can exercise over the information collected etc. whether they sell this information to third party providers or not etc. You will be much better informed before submitting any kind of personal information.

6. Padlock icon
This icon should ideally be located over status bar portion of your browser. This indicates a secure site.

7. Disputed transactions
Ensure that you keep a tab on credit card statements each month. This way you know if any transaction is fraudulent or not. You can then take it up with your bank if needed.

8. Promotional offers
Most promotional offers have a catch to them. So don’t get carried away. Read the fine print as it will ensure a more safe online shopping experience.

9. Know everything
You need to know everything about the product before you pay for it. Try and get information on color, size, price as well as warranty etc. You also need to know if the company provides any guarantees.

10. Check on shipping
If you are buying from another country’s site then shipping could be high. Make sure you know the charges before purchasing as otherwise you could end up paying more for shipping than on the actual product!