Nerdistan

Don’t you think life’s too short to worry about the small stuff? It’s surprising that even in today’s day and age, there are still people who worry about making online purchases. What’s the worry? Well, we are hearing a lot of negative things lately such as identity theft and stolen credit card numbers so maybe the question should be “Why would I buy something online?”

The answer is simple. As long as you have a little bit of common sense and aren’t sending your credit card information to some far off countries where you have no contact information, you should be ok. Stick to reputable and modern countries and in most cases you will never have a problem.

It is important to make sure that when you are making the purchase, you see https://www… and the important thing here is the “s” after the http. This means that the site is secure from third party viewing so no one can see what you are inputting and use this information in way that can harm you. Also, many small businesses use PayPal or something like it. This is a third party company owned by eBay who handles the payments for the purchaser and the merchant and it is completely safe and easy to use. No signup is necessary so you don’t need to leave your credit card on file.

The bottom line is that like anything, you have to use some common sense and just like when you order something over the phone with your credit card, deal only with reputable dealers that you can trust. Look for testimonials from other customers and always make sure there is someone you can talk to if you need any help. It also helps if they speak the same language as you.

So, go out there and shop from home. It’s a great way to avoid lineups and it’s always fun to get a package in the mail.

Mike Wyman is co-owner of the singles dating site http://www.DateAGolfer.com, the perfect place for golf singles to find their golfmate. He also runs http://www.PuttingForPar.com, a site specializing in the sale of personalized golf ball markers which make a great golf gift.