Price Advantage - While items are mostly cheaper because of the online retailers lower costs, you should be aware of the added costs involved. Adding in transport costs and tax and duty for purchases from outside the E.U. will increase your final cost. As will your dial-up costs depending on how you access the internet. You should always do some "real world" research before buying items online as it is not always the case that everything is cheaper online.

Convenience - Shopping online is much easier, quicker and more convenient that shopping with regular "bricks & mortar" retailers. However, it can also lead to you buying and spending more than you originally intended. Have a budget, and a shopping list, and stick to these.

Where to Shop - Most well known retailers now have an internet presence, and are probably therefore seen as more trustworthy. As most of the more reputable web-only retailers have become household names also, they too have gained a trustworthy image. As with everything else in life though, if in doubt, or if something seems too good to be true, you should probably think twice, and maybe give it a miss. As a subscriber to the UK consumer magazine Which?, you can get access to an internet resource where they provide reviews of many online retailers.

Privacy and Security - You should always confirm before you submit any personal or financial details that you have been brought to a secure part of the retailers web site. You can normally tell this by a padlock sign at the bottom of your browser window, and the web address should begin with https. When making an online purchase, you should always print off your receipt and note the time of purchase and the details you submitted. These will be important if any follow ups are necessary. Finally, for convenience purposes, many sites will offer to "store" your personal details. For extra security, you may chose not to avail of this offer.

Returns and Exchanges - Be very aware of a retailers policy when it comes to returns and exchanges. This can be particularly troublesome, and expensive, when purchasing items from abroad. Before purchasing, it may be a good idea to check the policy, and find out direct contact details (not just e-mail addresses) that you can use to follow up if any problems occur. If you don't find this information, or are not happy with the detail provided, you may want to shop around for alternative suppliers.