How many more articles are going to be written on "safe internet shopping"? Well, here's one more. And its the basics. It's the basics because the basics is what you need to know, just like a store in your local mall (but a little different). Things like shipping price, security, guarantees, quality, service. Common sense things. But how do you find out when the vendor may be across the country (if not the world?)

Knowledge. Of course knowledge is power and education is the key to knowledge. I don't mean go out right now and sign up for a class on Internet shopping, though it's never a bad idea if you have the time, and, like me, do most of your shopping on the Internet.

Of course the obvious obstacle is you can't see the seller. He or she may be sitting in pajamas in Mozamibique for all you know. But with a little research, you can find out rather rapidly where the seller is and how long he/she has been there. Also, many stores over an 800 number for customer service and ordering. Use it if you feel a bit skiddish but want a product from the store.

Occasionally a store pays no attention to its checkout platform and it may not be secure. Take a look at the icons at the bottom of the page to see who has verified the validity of the security. Do not send your credit card information in an email to an online shop. That is common sense. And unless you are signing up for an affiliate program, there is never a reason to have to give your social security number to order anything. And even then, you will want to do so through a well-known 3rd party source like Commission Junction on their secure platform. And that is only if you have discovered a product or products that you like, and want to resale them on your site (if an affiliate program is available).

Is your vendor stable and able to ship what has been bought? There are methods to find that out by doing research on the firm. One of the best ones is to visit WhoisLookup and type in the URL and find out when the company was formed. For instance, though many of my stores are less than two years old, as a cartoonist, we have been selling gifts and collectibles on our main cartoon website since 1997. Our main manufacturer 3drose, is one of Ebay's oldest and largest PowerSellers with over 12,000 transaction with a 99.4% positive rating. That kind of thing doesn't hurt. Many stores have sub stores on Ebay or other auction sites. Simply see what others have written about them.

Other stores, like ours all have community blogs. We show the blog address on our main sites and people are welcome to offer their experiences and feedback. This can add to the comfort level when buying online.

A 30 day guarantee is mandatory in any legitimate online shop? If there's not one, find one that has one. There is a reason they resist having one and the reason is usually quality. In mymy early days on the net, I didn't bother to check, and I learned quickly. This is of utmost importance whether buying locally or on the Internet. If a company won't stand behind its products or service, there is a reason. And some still don't bother. They are just there to take your money. Caveat emptor. (Let the buyer beware)

About the Author, Rick London:

Rick London is a veteran cartoonist and e-store owner. He owns numerous stores including Safe Sex, Safe Shopping All Common Sense. Unbiased business reviews.