Chapter 7. Shopping

The Internet may be a nearly instantaneous communications channel that transcends geopolitical borders and turns the earth into a truly global village. But let's not forget that it also lets you buy a Swiss Colony beef log at 3:00 a.m. from www.swisscolony.com and have it shipped by Second Day Air to arrive in time for your brother's birthday. Such is the power of the Web when it comes to finding stuff you really need to buy.

Sales of merchandise online have been steadily climbing since the late 1990s, when the Web gained traction as an online emporium. Some research analysts predict online sales will surpass $300 billion a year by 2010, which is a heck of a lotta beef logs.

But as you've probably heard , shopping online does come with security risks. And finding things on the Web that you want to buy can be tricky. The good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself when you're shopping, and you can employ a few techniques for finding stuff efficiently .

If you're new to the concept and practices of online shopping, or if you just want to know where to find stuff and how to safely handle the transaction online, this chapter will help you fill up your cart.