What you need to know before buying online

There are many things a consumer needs to look for when buying online.

Does the site your dealing with have an SSL certification? The SSL certification lets the consumer know that the site is secure and you can be assured hackers will not get your credit card information.

Shipping and pricing is one topic that can be very confusing.

If a company is offering a low price guarantee be sure you are comparing items that are exactly the same. Although low price guarantee sounds good to the consumer, if you're not comparing items that are exactly the same it means nothing.

A company can have the lowest price on a product but charges you more than a competitor for shipping. Once shipping is added, the actual price you pay can increase substantially. Their "low price guarantee" may look good at first, but they are making up the price difference somewhere, usually in shipping fees.

Just make sure you feel your paying a fair price for the product your purchasing when your total price comes up in the shopping cart.

Example - Company A offers a wrap hats for $4.95 but has a flat shipping rate of $8.95 this equals $13.90. Company B sells the same wrap hat for $8.95 but only charges you $3.00 shipping this equals $11.95. Company B is $1.95 cheaper.

Another example would be that company A charges $119.99 for motorcycle saddlebags then charges you $15.00 to ship it for a total of $134.99. Company B charges you $129.95 for that same item but gives you free shipping on all orders over $99.99. You just save $5.04 going with company B.

The last item is warranties and exchanges.

Most wholesale companies charge online stores return shipping and a restocking fee when items are sent back to them. Most stores pass on this fee to the consumer when items are returned, otherwise with the tremendous expensive involved and would drive a company bankrupt.

Be careful when dealing with companies that offer such things as a "No Risk 30 day exchange and return policy". In most cases they do not have a warranty after the first 30 days. They know that most consumers use a product very little in the first 30 day's and the chances of something going wrong with them is pretty slim until after the 30 days are up.

Quality products such as SOS sunglasses, Kuryakyn or Bagtec luggage or finely made helmets carry a warranty of 1 year to as much as lifetime. By the way, lifetime warranty in the manufacturing industry for all products is 7 years and not in your lifetime.

Make sure what ever company that you choose to work with has good, fast and friendly customer service that's willing to work with you.