| Shopping online can be very enjoyable but one must | | | | receipt and contacted the company to take |
| exercise common sense and some good tricks to get | | | | advantage of the service I purchased back then. This |
| out ahead. Shopping on the internet should start here. | | | | is also a company I contacted pre sale got a personal |
| This guideline is created to help you enjoy the | | | | reply within 24 hours. I purchased and also joined their |
| experience of shopping online - you may even make | | | | affiliate program. See I do practice what I preach! |
| some cash and pick up some savings tips too: | | | | 5. DON'T GIVE TOO MUCH |
| 1. Use Contact Us Button - ALWAYS! | | | | There are many legitimate sites in cyberspace that |
| If you are interested in purchasing a product or service | | | | are very honourable and would never attempt to |
| online - first contact the site using their "contact us" | | | | swindle you therefore an article like this they would |
| button. If you do not get a response with 24 - 48 | | | | welcome. They may even post on their sites for their |
| business hours - be very wary about doing business | | | | customers. However there are so many many sites |
| with that site. Even for well known sites - you still need | | | | that are set up just to do the very opposite. These are |
| to see what their customer service is like so don't | | | | the ones that this tip is intended to warn you of. If you |
| bypass this step. Being big does not necessarily mean | | | | are asked to provide your Social Security Number |
| good customer service. The response should not be | | | | (USA) or your Social Insurance Number (Canada) you |
| an automated one advising you to check site's FAQ | | | | might want to reconsider doing so. I have had the |
| for your answer. The trick is to make your query one | | | | experience of signing up for work-from-home |
| that will have to be answered by a REAL person. I | | | | programs promising great wealth working from home |
| have developed the mindset that " if they don't | | | | completing surveys, some clerical stuff etc etc but you |
| respond to my query within 24 - 48 hours" - I won't | | | | have to provide the Social Security info for your self |
| buy! | | | | and your family members etc to be paid. I did! Luckily |
| 2. Join Their Affiliate Program | | | | nothing happened to my identify to my knowledge |
| If you have a website - and wish to purchase anything | | | | unless there is a Desemal Thomas in the USA that is |
| online first check to see if the site you plan to | | | | not YET affecting my identify here in Canada. This |
| purchase from offers an affiliate program. If they do, | | | | took place in my newbie days on the internet when I |
| this provides the perfect opportunity for you to see | | | | trusted everybody. Unless you want a clone of |
| how they will treat you and anyone that you refer | | | | yourself - Rule of thumb - LESS is MORE. No social |
| down the road. Joining the affiliate program provides a | | | | security numbers, no full date of birth, bank account |
| threefold opportunity: | | | | information, give only what make sense. Less |
| First: Testing Customer Service PRE-SALE. This is | | | | information = more protection. |
| another way of testing customer service by applying | | | | 6. THERE IS NO GET RICH FORMULA! |
| for the affiliate program. If you get a friendly response | | | | Stay away from the temptation - (speaking from |
| within 24 - 48 business hours and you get a | | | | experience). Temptation can that burn a LARGE hole |
| comfortable feel about the site, proceed to join their | | | | in your credit card. If these folks touting the rich life on |
| affiliate program. Next purchase the item you set out | | | | the waterfront properties, the yacht, the 5 star |
| to purchase in the first place BUT from YOUR link on | | | | vacations did have the get rich-overnight-formula why |
| YOUR site. | | | | would they want to share it with you a total stranger? |
| Second: You get paid for purchasing and that is just a | | | | It would be so guarded by these people - you would |
| sweet bonus! You will usually get back either a | | | | have a better chance of getting some of the royal |
| percentage of your own purchase or a set $ amount. | | | | jewels from Fort Knox than them sharing it with you. |
| Check to see how long your cookies take to expire. | | | | Don't fall for the manufactured testimonials - do you |
| The longer of course is the better - the best are | | | | know any of these people featured there? Do you |
| cookies that never expire. If you have a busy site you | | | | know anyone who knows anyone featured there? |
| may be able to market the product and make great | | | | What proof do you have that it is real? Follow your |
| commission before your cookie expires. | | | | Gut instinct? Beware! |
| Third: Testing Customer Service POST-SALE. You | | | | 7. LET EQUIFAX/ TRANS UNION BE YOUR |
| are now in the position of a customer of this site as | | | | FRIENDS! |
| well as an affiliate. As a customer you can evaluate - | | | | If you have heeded all the tips provided above and still |
| was the service and item as advertised? Was service | | | | have that feeling that something is just not right after |
| friendly? Did the product arrive timely? Was the quality | | | | you have made a purchase.a. Contact your credit card |
| as advertised? Was there a thank you email for the | | | | provider IMMEDIATELY - request that they not accept |
| purchase? Did you receive an electronic receipt? Was | | | | the payment and you MUST not accept the good or |
| there follow up contact to enquire about delivery etc. | | | | service. You cannot have it both ways.b. Check your |
| As an affiliate - Was your affiliate account credited | | | | credit report for any unusual activities and file a dispute |
| with the commission within the time set out in their | | | | of any item on your credit report that you did not |
| affiliate contract? If you get all the right answers you | | | | authorize.c. Make checking your credit report a |
| can now proceed to confidently market that product | | | | consistent habit - some credit card companies offer |
| on your site because you are now your own living , | | | | credit monitoring service. |
| breathing credible testimonial. | | | | 8. You CAN Make MONEY while SHOPPING ONLINE |
| 3. CHARGE IT WITH CONFIDENCE | | | | In spite of the tip in #6 you CAN make money online. I |
| Many first time online shoppers are wary about | | | | am not selling you any program - NO! This is how it |
| flashing out their credit card to charge it and they have | | | | works. |
| many reasons to be. Countless stories about online | | | | The premise is - if you have purchased products and |
| credit card fraud abound. Be careful, exercise | | | | service online and you are pleased with it you may |
| common sense. The credit card companies are also | | | | want to share it to others. Why not make some |
| very vigilant and pro-active in protecting their | | | | money doing so. There are folks who do make a tidy |
| customers but that should not preclude you from | | | | sum of money online doing just that. Selling as a |
| indulging in your own due diligence. Follow these tips | | | | middleman/women! That is what affiliate/reseller |
| and you will minimize your risk.a. First get a credit card | | | | programs are about. You are marketing someone |
| that you use exclusively for online shopping.b. Keep the | | | | else's products or services. Instead of the vacuum |
| limit $500 or below.c. Only purchase at sites that looks | | | | salesman going door-to-door in the old days - the |
| like a real person(s) is/are behind it - i.e misspellings, out | | | | vacuum salesman now simply sets up a site and calls |
| of date content -example advertising a salon trade | | | | himself a "RESELLER" and get to work getting traffic |
| show for 2006 in 2008 are dead give ways of | | | | to his site to purchase the vacuums from him. |
| unmanned sites.d. Beware of squatter sites - sites that | | | | Or Mr. Vacuum Salesman puts a banner on his site |
| are not really involving in retail but host a lot of retail | | | | from the manufacturer of the vacuums and gets paid |
| links.e. Your first line of defence if you are not sure, is | | | | REFERRING clients to buy the vacuums directly from |
| to use the - "contact us link" if there is none - leave | | | | the manufacturer. Find a decent set of affiliate |
| right away. | | | | programs from sites such as Commission Junction, |
| 4. ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE | | | | Share a Sale, Clickbank among others. |
| When shopping online you will undoubtedly get a lot of | | | | They key is that you have to generate TRAFFIC to |
| email contact from the sites that you do business with. | | | | sell to! That is it straight and simple. If your website is |
| In no time your email inbox will be cluttered with these | | | | not even ranked on Google chances of a customer |
| emails. These are important emails please do not | | | | finding you online via search engine is very very slim. |
| delete them. Here is what I recommend - create a | | | | Most people start out with a regular site with one |
| folder in your email program for EVERY company that | | | | central product or service and once they build |
| you do business with and SAVE all their contact with | | | | credibility and a decent size customer base they |
| you in their respective folder. This way anything you | | | | introduce these add -on services and products. It will |
| receive such as guarantee of service, warranty, | | | | take time but if you remain consistent you can make |
| commission promised, receipts, contract terms , etc | | | | money online and elevate your enjoyment of the |
| you can access easily and quickly should a dispute | | | | internet. |
| arise later. | | | | 9. DON'T BE AFRAID |
| This trick is especially good if you are given | | | | Don't be afraid to purchase on the internet - it is a fun |
| passwords and username to log into a site a while | | | | place. Do your research, compare, read un-solicited |
| ago and now need it. Yes - most, if not, all sites have a | | | | customer feedback then buy. Some sites have |
| password/username retrieval process but why wait | | | | customer feedback that you know is real because it is |
| on their reply if all you need to do is to check your | | | | so raw in its content and both good and bad reviews |
| own folder? This tip is also good for correspondences | | | | are posted. Believe me, you will know if it rings true. |
| from lawyers, school teacher etc. If it is important file it. | | | | Exercise common sense and happy shopping - it can |
| This tip helped me recently when I had to retrieve | | | | be fun. |
| information from an electronic receipt I received from | | | | P.S. |
| David Notestine of last April. I was able to locate the | | | | |