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Shopping online is probably the quickest and easiest way to buy almost anything you want, but it's not without its own worries and stresses.
Are your payment details safe? Is your purchase going to be delivered safe to home? How do you know it's the best price?
All of these worries can be cleared up in an instant, and all you actually need is the right credit card to hand.
How can a credit card make shopping online so safe?
With so many credit cards on the market, and now that credit cards have become such an everyday occurrence, most people have forgotten what a credit card was originally intended to do.
Credit cards started off their life as a payment method that offered more than a debit card, a cheque book or cash could. Credit cards were invented to offer cardholders free services that looked after their money and the purchases they bought with the credit card.
How will it keep my money safe?
There are quite a few credit cards that offer Internet fraud guarantees.
The guarantee means that your credit card issuer promises to not hold you liable for any fraudulent transactions that take place online.
Basically, you won't have to pay for the transaction or any insurance 'excess', and the credit card issuer will refund the fraudulent transaction.
Internet fraud guarantees are also sometimes referred to as online fraud guarantees or safe shopping promises.
Some credit cards also offer active fraud monitoring services, where your credit card company keeps a watchful eye over your account, and if they see any suspicious transactions they will get in touch with you to find out if it is fraudulent or not.
And what about my purchases?
When you shop online it is always a possibility that an item you purchase may get lost in the post, it might get stolen or it might get dropped and damaged by some burly delivery men.
If you are buying something expensive, like a plasma TV or a laptop, this can become a very worrying prospect.
However, if you pay for it with the right credit card, your purchase will be automatically insured against theft, loss or damage until it is delivered safe and secure to your home.
So which credit cards are the right ones for online shopping?
It is important you do your online shopping with the right credit card, simply because not all cards are born the same. Some offer great free services and others are a bit lacking.
Credit-Card-Comparison-Online.co.uk have built a comparison table that lists all the features you should be looking for when choosing a credit card for online spending and which cards offer these services.
View credit cards for online shopping here: http://www.credit-card-comparison-online.co.uk/shopping-online/default.asp
Five ways to keep your online spending safe:
1. Shop with companies you trust: All the big high street names have online shopping web sites, and you know you are shopping with a name you can trust.
2. Make sure the payment is secure: When you come to pay for your item, check that the page you enter your payment details on is securely encrypted. This is easier than it sounds, just look in the bottom right hand corner of your web browser, if it's secure you'll see a little padlock.
3. Use a credit card that offers an Internet fraud guarantee or a safe shopping promise: If you card details are stolen and used fraudulently, your credit card won't hold you liable.
4. Use a credit card that offers Internet Delivery Insurance: When you pay for items with this credit card your online purchases will be automatically covered against loss, theft or damage until they arrive safely at your home.
5. Use a credit card that offers Purchase Protection Insurance: When you shop online or in the high street, your purchases will be automatically covered against theft, loss and accidental damage for up to 90 days. Check the card conditions, as some - but not all - cover Internet and mail order purchases.
Seven ways to get the most for your money online:
Shop online: OK, so we've already come to this conclusion. However, a lot of major high street shops and big retailers offer cheaper prices and special discounts when you shop online. Simply because the administration and staffing costs are so much lower, allowing them to offer you more for your buck.
Check the online reviews: If you are buying something like a TV or a computer, there are many web sites that offer specialist product reviews, so you can make sure you are buying the best item for your money. Sites like www.ReviewCentre.com, www.WhatHiFi.co.uk or www.DooYoo.co.uk.
Use a price comparison service: On sites like www.Kelkoo.co.uk or Froogle.co.uk you can put in almost anything you want to buy and it'll bring up a list of online shops selling it at the best prices.
Sign up for e-mail newsletters from your favourite retailers and online companies: Many online shops and companies will send you their current special offers and exclusive online discounts in their monthly newsletters.
Use a reverse-auction site: Quite a new phenomenon, reverse-auction web sites let you make a bid, all bids are hidden, and the lowest unique bid wins. Try www.million21.com, www.bidnation.co.uk or www.autoebid.com.
Use an auction site: It might not be quite the same as the shininess of brand new, but you can find some really great deals at auction sites like www.ebay.co.uk. Remember to wait until near the end of the auction before you place your bid, this will keep the price down and give you more chance of winning the item you want.
Stay in the UK: The Internet lets you go to any country you like in milliseconds. However, if you keep your online shopping in the U.K. you'll save on delivery costs, you'll avoid any foreign transaction fees and you won't have to worry about being lumped with import duties on items over £18.
Show me all credit cards for... shopping online
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