by Technophobes;the Kicking;Screaming Is This Thing On?: A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers
However, if you’re not comfortable shopping online for any reason, don’t do it. There is no rule that mandates you must shop online merely because online shopping exists. Most of us don’t climb a mountain just because it’s there.
Having said that, let’s investigate what’s available and how to shop efficiently and safely on the Internet, if you choose to do so. Shopping online isn’t limited to clothes and housewares. Anything you can imagine is available online. My most obscure purchase was a set of shower curtains. Doesn’t sound obscure, right? Well, I needed nine shower curtains in very specific colors. No, I don’t have nine showers—I wanted shower curtains for my screened porch because they are waterproof and I thought they would make practical curtains. I searched dozens and dozens of websites and viewed hundreds of shower curtains before I finally found the perfect one.
* * *
“I don’t want to sound like a Scrooge, but over the years I’d started to dread Christmas shopping. Now it’s a breeze. I sit at my computer for an hour or two and in one evening purchases are made. I even opt for the gift wrapping and ship directly to my kids!”
—Vernon
* * *
Unfortunately, the online store that sold it only had three in stock and they weren’t able to order more. From their website, I copied the exact name of the shower curtain and product number and pasted it into Google where, with a little hunting, I found the name of the manufacturer… in China! The end of the story is, after the loveliest e-mail correspondence with a woman named Rain (and an invitation to visit her in China!), the shower curtains were shipped to my home directly from China. I certainly would not have been able to accomplish that task without the Internet. By the way, they look adorable.
Why Shop Online?
You can’t see or touch the merchandise, so what makes online shopping so appealing? Well, the following three aspects for starters:
• Comforts of home: You don’t need to leave your home (or office) to shop. Therefore, no parking hassles, no waiting in long lines, and no fighting for the last iPhone on the shelf.
• Global access: Stores all over the world are at your fingertips. A student of mine wanted an out-of-print CD that a jazz-musician friend of hers had recorded nearly 40 years ago in Denmark. She was able to track down the recording studio’s website and place an order for the CD online. Even the musician himself didn’t know his original recordings were still available for purchase.
• Savings: Online retailers save on personnel and other overhead costs. They often pass the savings on to you. This is especially true with travel arrangements. Shopping online should save you money—you’re doing most of the administrative work!
Start with the Familiar
Get your feet wet with a visit to the website of a “brick-and-mortar” store you frequent in your area. If you shop at Home Depot, visit their website: homedepot.com. Is Macy’s one of your shopping spots? Visit macys.com. Or you could pop into the website of a catalog that you patronize. Perhaps you are a Crate & Barrel (crateandbarrel.com) fan or a Harriet Carter (harrietcarter.com) loyalist.
A POLICY ON POLICIES
It’s a good idea to click on and read the website’s policies. You’ll find out what the procedure is if you need to return an item, along with any guarantee information.
Right now, you and I, together, are going to visit L.L. Bean (llbean.com) to simulate the purchase of a canvas tote. Connect to the Internet and access llbean.com. Let’s see what their website has to offer.
• L.L. Bean’s website.
CLICK AND GO
1. Click in Search box.
2. Type canvas tote.
3. Click Search.
Wow… there’s a ton of information on their Home Page. It’s almost too much to take in, but there is strength in numbers and together we can navigate these new waters. I spy an internal search engine. Do you? Perfect. Click inside the text box to activate and type: canvas tote. Click on Search.
FLEXIBILITY PREVAILS
It may be that L.L. Bean redesigned their site after this image was captured for the book. If that’s the case, take your time to look around the page and find the same elements seen here.
The new page reveals a selection of canvas totes. Click on Boat and Tote Bag, Open Top. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the following page so you don’t miss anything. When you have viewed the entire page, scroll back up and join me at the top of the page. This site is a good example of how the same options available in the store or in the catalog are also available when you shop online. You get to choose your tote’s size, color, and handle length. You can even have the bag monogrammed! Let’s say you want two medium-size totes with dark green handles in the regular length.
CLICK AND GO
1. Click Medium.
2. Click on Regular or Long Handles.
3. Click on desired color.
4. Click Quantity Box, hit Backspace to erase 1, type 2.
5. Click Add to Bag.
• Click on the Medium tab. Give the window a chance to update your order.
• Click on either Regular or Long for handle length.
• Click on desired color.
• Click after the number one in Quantity. Depress and release the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard to eliminate the “1.” Type the number 2.
• Click on the down arrow to the right of Ship to Me; click on Other.
• Click on Add to Bag.
• Most websites, as this one does, give you the option to Continue Shopping or to Check Out. Click on Check Out.
The website will offer to ship the bag to someone other than you. Click on the circle to the left of Ship to Me. A box will appear where you type a nickname for the recipient of this item. Now, we’re not really buying the tote; we’re only practicing. Choose whomever you want to “pretend” to send a tote to. I will choose my sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Ballek. She always carried home our quizzes in a canvas tote to grade. (I can remember that but not the movie I saw last night?!)
You can now view the contents of your shopping cart and make any changes necessary regarding quantity.
Did you happen to notice the shipping costs? It isn’t common, but some online retailers really gouge you on their shipping fees. Before you complete your purchase, decide if the shipping costs listed are reasonable. This is especially true when shopping for airfares. The lowest airfare may end up being equal to or even exceeding its competitors’ fares when the taxes and fees are tallied.
• Next, click on Check Out. (You may have to scroll down to find it.)
• The page that opens next is an interesting one. You’re offered the chance to Log In or Check Out as a Guest. If this is a website you’ll shop at frequently, you might consider registering with the site. This involves an online form you complete with your name, mailing address, telephone number (possibly day and evening), billing address, and e-mail address. The convenience of registering is that your information is kept on file and you don’t need to type it every time you come back to make a purchase. Let’s not register with the website this time around. (Some websites require you to register to make a single purchase. It’s a bit irritating, but you may not have a choice.)
• Next click on Check Out as a Guest.
REMINDER
Use the Scroll Bar to view all the page has to offer.
You will need to type your billing information. Notice that any text box with a red asterisk is a required field (you must fill it in). Those areas without an asterisk are usually optional. I generally don’t give any more information than necessary.
The credit card company uses the billing address to confirm that the credit card is in the hands of the authorized cardholder. Be sure you type your correct billing address—for some people that is different than the mailing address. You will be asked for the shipping address later.
Fill in the form. These forms are not case sensitive so you don’t need to capitalize, unless you have a burning desir
e to use the Shift key. Enter the address as you would on a mailing envelope and don’t use nonstandard abbreviations. When you arrive at State, click on the down arrow and use the Scroll Bar to find your state. Click on your state.
Certain websites require you to type your e-mail address in twice to be sure there are no typos (typographical errors). Your e-mail address is used to send a confirmation of your purchase and to update you on the shipping status. Because this may lead to future solicitations, I use my second e-mail address—the one I created for any correspondence other than with friends, family, and business contacts. You may want to do the same.
A SHORTCUT
The Tab key moves the cursor from text box to text box, instead of clicking in each box to activate before you type.
Notice on this site there is a choice about whether you receive e-mail updates, along with an offer to store your information for future purchases. If you see a check in the box, it indicates you accept their offer. If there is a check in the box and you don’t want to accept the offer, click on the check to make it vanish. Poof! It’s gone.
• Now, click on Continue.
• For the sake of practice, fill in the shipping form. You can input a fictitious address because we have no intention of completing this order.
• Next, click on Continue.
CHOOSE YOUR STATE
Instead of scrolling from Alabama to Wyoming, click in the box and type the first letter of your state. Scroll to your state and click. Less scrolling makes for fewer mouse mishaps.
You can see your entire order for review before you type your credit card information. Remove your hands from the keyboard, lest you accidentally order an unwanted tote bag! Notice where your credit card information would be typed, but remember we’re not actually shopping. In the future, when you input your credit card number, ignore the spaces or dashes—type it as one long number—and examine what you typed and be sure there are no errors. You may be asked for the code on your credit card. If you use American Express it will be the four numbers above and to the right of your credit card number. If you use MasterCard or Visa it is the three numbers to the right on the back of your card. The last step after entering all the credit card information would be to click Continue. The website then sends an e-mail confirmation of your order, which you should promptly print and keep for your records until delivery occurs.
• Here is where you would give your credit card information.
Be on the Lookout
If, at any time, you see a customer service number, jot it down. Websites are notorious for concealing their contact numbers. For reasons of cost, most sites prefer all correspondence be by e-mail. I may be old fashioned, but when I have a complaint or question, I’d like the option to speak to a human being. If you return to the website seeking out their telephone number, look for Contact Us, Customer Service, or About Us. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Sometimes, what you seek (and they hide) is in very small letters at the end of the web page.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
To ensure that your credit card information is safe, websites employ SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which encrypts data, making it safer for transmission. You’ll know the page is protected by SSL when http in the web address has an added s (https) for security. A closed padlock might appear at the bottom of the browser window. An open padlock or a broken key at the bottom of the window indicates you are not on an encrypted page.
CONSUMER REPORTS
Visit consumerreports.org for unbiased ratings and reviews on a huge array of products. A subscription to the site or magazine will give more in-depth information.
If the unfortunate happens and someone has abused your credit card (and, remember, the Internet may not have even played a role in the event), under federal law your liability is limited to $50. If a breach of security on the part of the website revealed your credit card information, the website should pay this amount for you.
• A closed padlock indicates you are on a secure website.
The American Bar Association has created an informative website, safeshopping.org, for information about online shopping. (Note: It is .org, not .com.) Visit their site for more information before you start shopping on the Internet.
If something happens that warrants you bringing in the big guns, contact the Better Business Bureau at bbbonline.org (or call your local Better Business Bureau). You could also fill out a complaint form with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov. Type complaint in the internal search engine. Another option is to contact your state attorney general. Contact information can be found at the website of the National Association of Attorneys General, naag.org. (Notice their website acronym almost reads like “nag”!) If your complaint crosses international lines, head to econsumer.gov and click on English.
Registration Considerations
When you register on a website you are required to establish an identity (ID) with the website. Some websites will use your e-mail address for your ID; others may allow an ID of your choosing. You will also be asked for a password. Do I have to tell you not to use your bank password? Good. You’ve been paying attention! A+!
If at any time during the ordering process you are uncomfortable or confused, most shopping sites allow you to complete the order over the phone. Don’t be hard on yourself. If the site is difficult to navigate, it is poorly designed. You are not the ninny, the website designer is.
NO PURCHASE REQUIRED
If a website is really confusing or poorly designed, feel free to abandon the mission at any time. In most cases, you can find the same item being sold on several different websites.
Relax while I relate a funny, and possibly helpful, story about a student of mine. Gloria, with great trepidation, ventured onto a website to purchase a gift for her nephew. In the course of filling in the registration form, the site asked her to type her e-mail address. She dutifully did so in the appropriate text box. Next, she was asked to type a password. She did. The next step read “Confirm your password” with a text box beside those words. (As you may have noticed by now, when you type a password you can’t see what you type. That’s for your own protection, so no one can peek over your shoulder and read your password.) Gloria responded to the request for her to confirm her password. The website rejected her. She tried, and tried, and tried again. She finally gave up in frustration. In our next class together, she shared her saga. I asked, “What did you type in the box that asked for you to confirm your password?” She answered logically, “I confirm.” A completely understandable mistake—the website, of course, wanted her to “retype” her password as confirmation, but the language the website designer chose made that less than perfectly clear. Shame on the designer, not on Gloria!
* * *
“I couldn’t believe it when I found the American Heritage plate of my mother’s that I had broken years ago. You should have seen the look on her face when I gave it to her. I love shopping on the Internet.”
—Georgia
* * *
• Click in either place to see more items offered from Amazon.
The burden, unfortunately, falls on you to interpret the text of a website or software program. If at first you don’t succeed, try a different interpretation, then try, try again.
Same Moves, Different Dance Partner
The steps we took with L.L. Bean are essentially the same as what you’ll do with any shopping website you visit, whether ordering tulip bulbs, vitamins, or a bicycle built for two. Be sure to notice if the website offers, at the top or the side of the window, different categories of what they sell. Nose around the site until you find something of interest, and then click on the item for more information. Next, instruct the site to place the item in your shopping cart, bag, or basket. When you’re done shopping, fill in the necessary shipping and billing information. When you’re certain you want to complete the purchase, fill in your credit card information. Soon after, you’ll receive an e-mail confirmation to be printed and kept until your do
orbell rings when the package arrives. The convenience is fantastic, and you can’t deny the efficiency of the process.
Your Prescription Is Ready
It is now possible for you to purchase prescription medication online. The most common reasons why people choose to buy prescription medications with a click of their mouse rather than a trip to the pharmacist are convenience and privacy. However, it may also appeal to you because you’re able to compare prices and access more written material about the drug in question.
The steps to checking out are a little more involved than the steps to purchase a tote bag, but not by much. You will at some point be asked about allergies to medications to be sure that you can take the medication prescribed. There will also be a point where you decide how the website will verify your prescription. You can mail in your prescription, have your doctor call or fax the website, have the website walk you through the steps to transfer the prescription from your present pharmacy, or ask the site to contact your doctor directly to confirm the prescription.
• You decide how the website will contact your physician to verify your prescription.
The website shown above is drugstore.com, but ask your doctor what pharmacy site he or she recommends. Be cautious about buying prescription medication from a foreign country’s website because the drug may not be exactly the same as it is in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the quality of drugs made in the United States but not elsewhere. If you have more questions, visit the FDA’s website at www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/.
