Research Online Shops and Stores

How do you know which stores are best to shop at? Is it possible to research online shops and stores too?

Yes it is!

It is not that hard to set up an online store, but not everyone is good at running it and some may suddenly disappear. There are stories of single individuals setting up a business on a card table in a back bedroom, and after a while they are selling all kinds of things - some of which may not exist! However, some are great. Yahoo started in a garage apparently, with two young college fellows.

Some have unethical practices.

Danger Signs of an Unsafe Online Store;

The online store's site offers no clue as to who owns it or where they are located.

The online shop has no Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, or signs of a secure shopping page/method.

Things appear to be free or at a bargain, but suddenly extra charges are added out of the blue.

There is no mention of how the purchases will be shipped, or what those charges will be.

There is no mention of what to do if you are not satisfied with the purchase when it arrives - or if it gets lost.

You discover, after research, that this site is "selling" items that are free elsewhere online.

And, when you do a Search on the store name, you find customers complaining of bad service or non-delivery of purchases. Watch out!

One of the smartest things to do is research the store itself. A certain amount of skepticism is healthy - UNTIL you've got evidence - but try to be a fair and balanced researcher. Hardly any one can be pure as the driven snow. Someone somewhere may have taken offense and be on a crusade to tell the world. So you need to exercise some discernment, or common sense. Listen to recommendations from people you trust, and listen to your calmer intuition too - that is, if your passionate desire doesn't turn you against every other reasonable argument.

Signs of a Reputable Online Store or Shop

Information in plain view, preferrably on every page, (usually in header or footer, as in above example) showing who and where they are


Links to an "About Us" page that has real information that convinces you. There should be photos of real people who own and run the business, not models.


Easy to find links to their Privacy policy so you know your personal information will be protected



Easy to find Terms of Service summing up how they do business and what you can expect



You see the "https" in the URL and the locked padlock icon in the lower left or right corner of your brower frame when you are on the shopping cart pages


All fees and charges are described and spelled out up front, not tacked on after your credit card number is entered


Before you checkout all the details of your order are spelled out plainly so you can check them over.



When you research the store name you find far more positive experiences described by customers than complaints.

Best of all, of course, is to get recommendations from people you trust. Check with friends who are ahead of you in experience.

Furthermore, this site researches online shops and stores to find the highest recommendations for those reliable for your shopping pleasure! Bookmark this as a "favourite" and come back often in your research of online shops and stores.

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Home - Online Shopping Guides is especially for the reluctant and those new to shopping online; I want to show you that it is not that hard, and you CAN shop securely online. 'Home' is the default entry point and index for this website.