Retailers, Dealers & Merchants (Products & Shopping Sites; incl. Department Stores, Auto Dealers, Online Shopping Sites & Services):

Tips for online shoppers

Find trusted shopping sites

"One of my biggest worries has always been: How do I know whether to trust an online retailer's site? One way is to check the online merchant ratings given by comparative shopping sites such as CNET Shopper, ZDNet Shopper, Yahoo Shopping, and Epinions and steer clear of those with customer complaints." By Robert Vamosi, Senior associate editor, CNET Reviews (12/4/02). SEE also Better Business Bureau.

Consumer Search.com: Product Reviews and Reports

1. 1-800-Flowers (Florist)
2. Advance Auto Parts (Source for Auto Parts & Car Care Information)
3. Adorama Camera (Digital cameras, All Other Cameras & Everything Photographic)
4. African American Business (incl. Online Shopping Sites)
5. Alex & Me Company (UV Sun protective Clothing & Swimwear)
6. Amazon.com
7. American Biker^TM Clothing
8. The American Tailgater (The Ultimate Tailgating Outfitter)
9. Auto Anything.com (Accessories for Cars, Trucks, SUVs & Vans)
10. Auto Web (Dealers, New & Used Cars, Prices, Photos, Etc.)
11. Autobytel.com (a site for Buying Cars)
12. AutoWorld (The Global Guide For All Of Your Automotive Needs)
13. AutoZone.com
14. B&H Photo-Video (Photo, Video, Digital & Pro Audio Store; Worldwide Retail & Mail Order Supplier serving Professionals)
15. Backcountry.com: Your Source for Skiing, Camping, Hiking, and Backpacking Gear
16. Band Shoppe (Band & Guard Uniforms)
17. Bed Bath & Beyond Shop for College
18. Belk Stores
19. Best Buy Stores (Electronics, Music, Etc.; incl. Computer Hardware & Software)
20. Better Business Bureau (Promoting Trust and Confidence on the Internet)
21. BI-LO, Inc. (Grocery)
22. BizRate.com (Compare Prices, Store Ratings & Product Reviews)
23. Blockbuster Videos
24. Bookstores (SEE Publishers, Jobbers, Bookstores & Information Vendors)
25. Buy.com (Hardware, Software, Books, Videos, Games, Music, Etc.)
26. CCV/SoftWareHouse (Over 6000 Products for K-12 and Higher Ed)
27. CDW: IT Products and Services for Business
28. Camera Corner (Cameras, Video, Projectors & Presentation Products)
29. Camera Review (Photography & Camera Equipment Reviews)
30. Camera World (Digital Imaging; Video & SLR Cameras, Etc.)
31. Campus Technology® (sells Complete Current Versions of Software by Adobe, Microsoft, Macromedia, Etc. at Low Prices to Qualified Educators & Students Nationwide)
32. Car Tech (CNET Reviews; Buying Advice & Reviews on the latest Cars & their Gadgets)
33. Carolina Panthers Official Online Store
34. Cars.com (Buy new & used cars online, research prices & dealers, sell your car)
35. Central Camera Company
36. Circuit City® Stores, Inc. (Electronics; incl. Appliances, Computer Hardware, Televisions, Etc.)
37. CompUSA (Computer Superstore)
38. Cooking.com (Cookware, Household Goods, Small Appliances, Etc.)
39. Coolibar (Quality Sun Protective Clothing, UV Protection Swimwear, Sunscreen, Etc.; Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation)
40. Crate & Barrel (Dinnerware, Furniture, Glassware, Etc.)
41. Creation Engine (Academic Discounts on Software)
42. Credit Union Car Sale (CARSFORMEMBERS.COM)
43. DealTime.com (Comparison Shop for Almost Anything)
44. Designer Fashion Directory (Listing the top Fashion Designers & Designer Clothing)
45. Designer Outlet (Discount Designer Fashions)
46. Dick's Sporting Goods
47. Dillard's (Fashion Apparel, Home Furnishings, Etc.)
48. drugstore.com (Online Pharmacy & Drugstore)
49. eBatts.com (Batteries, Adapters & Accessories)
50. Eddie Bauer Online Store
51. Edmund's Automobile Buyer's Guides
52. Egghead Computer (Retailer of Hardware, Software, Etc.)
53. Electronics Boutique (Software Retailer)
54. eToys (Leading Retailer of Children's Products on the Internet)
55. Everything Track and Field (Track & Field Equipment, Strength Shoes, Shot Puts, Track Shoes, Medicine Balls, Etc.)
56. Eye Tech Sports Vision & Optical
57. FTD (The Official Florists' Transworld Delivery Web Site)
58. Finish Line (Men's, Women's & Kids' Shoes & Apparel)
59. Florals.com (Fresh Flowers & Floral Arrangements)
60. Fogdog Sporting Goods Store (Sports Equipment, Sports Apparel & Footwear)
61. Food Lion Inc. (Grocery)
62. Frederick's of Hollywood
63. Hallmark (Gifts...incl. Cards)
64. Harris Teeter, Inc. (Grocery)
65. Home Depot
66. iQVC Shopping
67. iGadget.com (a PriceClick Company; Gadgets, Electronics, Etc.)
68. J.C. Penney Company, Inc.
69. Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (The Expert in Men's Apparel)
70. Kelley Blue Book (New Car Previews, Reviews & Pricing; Used Car Values, Buying & Selling,  Motorcycles, Etc.)
71. Kmart
72. Kohl's
73. Kroger Co. (Grocery)
74. Krupps.com (Home & Garden Decor)
75. L.L.Bean (Casual Apparel to Sporting Gear to Items for Your Home; incl. Sun protective Clothing)
76. Lenscrafters.com (Eyewear & Eyecare)
77. Library Equipment, Furniture & Supplies (Vendors)
78. Lowe's (Home Improvement Warehouse)
79. mySimon inc. (Comparison Shopping)
80. NORDSTROM.com (Fashion Retailer)
81. Office Depot
82. OfficeMax
83. Overstock.com (Name Brands at Clearance Prices)
84. Pep Boys Auto (Parts & Service)
85. Photo Reflect (Marketing & Selling Photos Online)
86. Price Watch ® (Street Price Search Engine)
87. PriceGrabber.com (Comparison Shopping Beyond Compare)
88. Priceline.com (a Buying Service of Airline Tickets, Hotel Rooms, New Cars, Home Financing, Etc. that lets You name Your Price)
89. proflowers.com (Fresh from the Grower to the Heart...MY CHOICE!)
90. PROVANTAGE.COM (The Computer Products Superstore)
91. REI (Outdoor Gear, Equipment and Clothing; incl. Sun protective Clothing)
92. Radio Shack Stores
93. Ritz Camera
94. SPF Store (Sun Protection, Sunscreen Products, Sun Protective Clothing)
95. Sam's Club
96. Sears, Roebuck and Co.
97. Shoebuy.com (Mens Shoes & Womens Shoes)
98. Shoes.com (Mens Shoes, Womens Shoes & Childrens Shoes)
99. Snowtraders (Snowboarding & Winter Gear Store)
100. Solartex Sun Gear, Inc. (UV Sun protective clothing, Etc.)
101. Staples.com
102. Sun Protective Clothing
103. Target
104. Tech for Less (Name Brand Computers & Electronics at Bargain Prices)
105. The Tie Guys (Neckties)
106. Triple J Sportswear (Sun Protective Clothing, UV Swimwear, Sun Hats, UPF Rash guards)
107. Tuxedos Online
108. U-Rate It.com (Product Reviews; a Place where you can Read & Write about Any Products sold by Infomercials or marked with the "As Seen On TV" Label)
109. Value City Furniture
110. Victoria's Secret
111. Virtual Florist
112. Walgreens (Pharmacy & drugstore, prescriptions, health information, photo center)
113. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
114. Willoughby's (Digital Cameras, Film Cameras, Binoculars, Camcorders & Accessories; incl. Anti-Fraud Ordering Process)
115. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (Grocery)
116. Zappos.com (Shoe Store; Dress Shoes, Casual Shoes & Athletic Shoes)
117. SEE ALSO African American Business
118. SEE ALSO Companies
119. SEE ALSO Online Shopping Directory (incl. Stores & Malls)
120. SEE ALSO Publishers, Jobbers, Bookstores & Information Vendors
121. SEE ALSO Travel Agencies, Airlines, Hotels, Car Rentals, Etc.
122. SEE ALSO Search Engines

Tips for online shoppers:

• Buy from someone you know. Otherwise, try to research any deal that reaches you by unsolicited e-mail, pop-up ad or unfamiliar Web site. That means, for example, getting a street address for the company offering the deal. "Legitimate companies don't hide behind vague promises or e-mails or Web sites where the source is unclear," said Ken Dreifach, chief of the Internet bureau of the New York State attorney general's office.
• Check out unfamiliar Web sites. You can search their names and determine a site's ownership through sources like www.networksolutions.com.
• Look for reliability standards. Check whether complaints have been filed with the Better Business Bureau.
• Know all the costs. Before signing up, ask about any extra charges or fees for upgrades and try to get them in writing. Then compare those prices with similar deals offered by other companies.
• Avoid high-pressure deals. In some cases, a "deal" may expire if you do not respond immediately. By the same token, you should also avoid buying trips that can be taken over a long period.
• Use a credit card to protect your purchase. If a product is not delivered as promised, consumers can dispute the charges with the credit card company.
• Keep paper records. If you do purchase of book on the Internet, print out the pages and obtain confirmation numbers.
• Be wary of anything "free." That word alone should raise a red flag, along with phrases like "you have been specially selected" or "you have won a trip."

Note: The above list of tips is a paraphrase version of the one published (for travelers shopping online) in the 08/25/2002 issue of the New York Times.

© 1994 - , Floyd Ingram.

This page was last updated on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 08.35 PM