One of the best ways to save is via the internet. And, if you follow several tips, it can also be safer and get you more value for your money. Some of the tips listed here apply just as well to buying locally. This article covers: keeping your computer clean and up-to-date, getting a carefully-guarded email address, the facts about HTTPS, ads as spam, using ads as a sign of reputable sites, free software, product ratings, seller ratings, shopping around, comparing models, buying computers, and what to do if you don't have a credit card.
* Keep your system clean and up-to-date. Even a brand new computer from the store can be several months behind, software-wise, enough to take several hours to update everything (and this should be done as the very first thing after connecting it to the internet for the first time). There's generally no need to be paranoid about it as some people are, but do try to set aside a day once a month to check that the internet-related software on your system is up-to-date. A good day for this is probably the weekend following the second Tuesday of the month, since that is when Microsoft (which produces software used by the vast majority of computer users) issues most new security-related updates. Make a list of the software on your system, and what updater programs to run and/or web sites to check. Some of the software that nearly everyone has is Microsoft Windows and Office, Apple QuickTime, Adobe Reader, Macromedia Flash and Shockwave, Sun Java, Real RealPlayer, and your antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software. An up-to-date system makes you noticeably less vulnerable to identity theft and other undesirable events. It also saves you money by generally needing fewer visits to a computer technician.
* Get an email address, preferably one that looks relatively random, which you use ONLY for doing business with other companies. Do not use this email address for an acquaintance, chat room, mailing list, newsgroup, forum, or anything else of the kind. You should also, if a site asks, opt out of any requests to send you emails from "partners". You may be willing to trust the site that you are dealing with, but that does not mean that the "partners" are trustworthy or that THEIR partners are trustworthy. If you have customers who send you email, get another special account just for them. By using a special email address for business, any business-like email which goes to your regular account should be immediately discarded as spam. Using a carefully-guarded email address can be your greatest protection against "spoofing", "phishing", and similar scams.
* Many people recommend that you only submit your personal information on pages which start with "HTTPS". This is indeed important, but it is a small part of a safe online shopping experience. These pages are secure pages, so that, in general, only the internet server which is sending you the page can actually read what you type. This is actually quite limited because in general, only the people who live near you (if you have cable internet) or in the same building would even be able to intercept the pages in the first place (although if you have a wireless network, you should check that it is secured, to keep from being peeped by any nearby nosy or malicious teenagers). Do not let the presence of "HTTPS" mislead you into believing that the server itself is actually secure against intruders, or that the company is not run by a scam artist, or that the products are worth anything.
* You should treat all ads on websites (including search engines) in the same way as you treat spam; ignore it. If it's for a vendor that you know already, go to the site in the normal way instead of clicking on the ad; the site that you go to by clicking on the ad may not be the site that you expect.
* Speaking of advertising, sites which tend to show a lot of ads all over the place, often more obvious than the "main content", are more likely to be sites that you should avoid; their main purpose is generally to make income from advertising sales, not whatever product they claim to be selling, which often means that they have little incentive to ensure that the products are actually good. Reputable sites tend to have litle or moderate advertising. Many sites which offer free software are of this type.
* Speaking of free software, many people who carefully check that they are buying good stuff from a reputable vendor will throw their careful attitudes out the window when it comes to free software, and make little or no attempt to check that the site that they are getting it from is reputable, or that the software is any good (or is safe). One of the biggest causes of computer problems is junk software.
* Some sites have product ratings, which are provided by the buyers after they receive the product. An example is at http://www.newegg.com. When the rating represents the average opinion of a dozen or more people, it can be a fairly good clue as to how good the specific model actually is. If I have a choice, I avoid products which have a low or no rating; on this particular site, I look for 5-star ratings, which is the highest; usually there will be several models to choose from with this rating. Buyer reviews will tell you what problems people had with that model that caused them to give a low rating; in some cases, the problem may not apply to you. All of this can help you avoid lemon models. Note that ratings and reviews are provided both by people who are completely ignorant about what they are buying, and people who have bought and used many of the product.
* Some sites that deal with multiple sellers, such as http://www.eBay.com, have seller ratings, as rated by the buyers. These are similar to buyer product ratings, in that they indicate your chances of being ripped off or being dissatisfied. Again, ratings from a significant number of people (a few hundred) is preferred. Also again, you can look at comments to determine the reason some people did not give a good rating.
* Shopping around applies online, too. Things which are available locally are often noticeably cheaper online. The catch is that you need to be sure of what you're buying; you can examine things which you buy locally, but you can't do this so easily online.
* Carefully determine all of the models available to you which fit your needs. Try to get this information from several sites (including manufacturer sites), in case one has errors or misinformation or is misleading. Then, find a reputable site which provides buyer model ratings, and weed out models which do not have good ratings. You'll probably find yourself weeding out the cheapest models, but that's good, because you won't be wasting your money by buying something that is likely to be junk that you'll have to turn around and replace soon. You may find yourself weeding out some of the more expensive models also, which is also good; no need to have insult upon injury. You should do this even if you plan to buy locally, since you'll have a better idea of what a salesperson is talking about, and you can more easily tell if you're being taken for a ride.
* After you've determined what models are a good buy, then check for good prices. Be careful of sites which offer prices significantly lower than others, as they may not be selling what you're expecting. Don't be afraid to write and ask questions. Don't forget to figure in tax and shipping. Speaking of shipping, that can vary widely between vendors, and for low-cost items, it can affect the total more than the actual price does. Also check for quantity or bulk discounts when buying multiple items from the same site.
* If you are looking for a new computer, look for a 3-year standard warranty; don't get an extended warranty except with laptops. Instead of an extended warranty, put the same money into your long-term savings. Why? Because the computer industry continues to improve quickly; 4.9 years down the road, that 500 megabyte hard drive, which may have been replaced by anther 500 megabyte hard drive under extended warranty, could be instead replaced by a brand new (and faster) 80,000 megabyte (80 gigabyte) hard drive for $45. Or, just get another new computer with monitor for around $600 (don't pay more than about $1,300 without getting some serious unbiased advice).
* Many banks now offer cards that act like credit cards, but are actually debit cards which connect directly to your bank account, which can be used for buying online. I don't know, though, if they have the same federally-required fraud protection as "real" credit cards.
A new technique is under development for credit card purchases. What will happen is that instead of you giving your credit card information to the vendor, the vendor sends you directly to the Visa, Mastercard, etc. site, you confirm your identity and the purchase, and the credit card company transfers the money to the vendor; the vendor never sees any information about you except the shipping address and contact information. This is expected to greatly cut down on online credit card fraud.
Scott McNay has worked in the computer industry for over 20 years. He can be contacted at homemoneyhelp-wizard@local.nu. For tips on buying computers or building your own, see http://www.local.nu/HelpDesk/index.php/Choosing_a_computer .
