Smart Online Buying, including Text Books, opens up a world of opportunities and savings that may not be available to you otherwise, because it’s such a huge marketplace. Of course, you should be reasonably cautious, but online buying is really much the same as buying anywhere else. “Buyer beware” is always the smart way to proceed, no matter what you’re buying or where you make your purchases. Here are some suggestions that can help give you peace of mind when shopping online:

• Find out as much as you can about the seller. Check out the seller’s physical address and go to the Better Business Bureau for that city to find out if there have been complaints about the business. Lack of a physical address should be a caution flag.

• For online purchases, a credit card is a better choice than a debit card. That’s because the credit card company can help protect you against fraudulent charges under some circumstances. When you use a debit card, that money is immediately taken out of your account, and even if it’s taken fraudulently, you could lose the use of the money until the issue is resolved.

• Make sure the web page you make the purchase from is secure. Tip: most browsers have a small icon that looks like a padlock, which typically appears in one of the lower corners of the screen. The padlock should appear “locked” when you’re providing sensitive information. A secure connection is also indicated when the website address begins with “https” instead of just “http”.

• Avoid providing credit card information in an email. If you set up an account on a website that stores credit-card numbers and other personal information, don’t log onto that site on any computer where other people can see your password.

• It is very unusual for a reputable e-commerce website to ask for your password by phone or e-mail. If that should happen, even if the contact seems legitimate, do not give out that information until you have independently confirmed that the request is on the level. That’s best done with a quick phone call to the company in question.

• Find out how a textbook’s ISBN can help you find the right book
• Discover the best ways to get the most out of your textbook investment
• Read about a simple three-step plan to help you save money on textbooks