Internet Buying

By Noah Lipnick

Without a doubt, the Web permits even the average surfer to save time because its uses are so broad that one can find just about anything he is looking for. There has been a recent explosive increase in the number of users, who are using the Web for completing tedious tasks that would have taken a great more time to accomplish by hand. People are using the web to do everything from online banking and tax paying to college planning, clothes shopping or even buying a cars or a house. After moving one’s banking to the net, one may wonder why he ever bothered to spend his time fumbling with checkbooks and waiting in lines for tellers. There are many websites such as www.Citibank.com, or www.Chase.com that can literally cut one’s bill paying time in half. For a real rush one can even try day trading online. Powerful sites such as www.DLJdirect.com allow investors to make transactions at a fraction of the price full service stock brokers charge, in a fraction of the time.

Topics perhaps more relevant to students are college planning, sports, and shopping. For seniors or juniors getting a head start at the college process, go to The Princeton Review at www.review.com for practice SATs and lots of statistics, or to Fastweb.com for a database of scholarships. For all you sports fanatics, log onto espn.go.com for constantly updated sports articles, up-to-date scores, team schedules and player profiles. This site is especially great because it is well- organized and it has plenty of links to the websites of other official sports.

There has been a recent boon in online shopping. People are beginning to enjoy the absence of annoying clerks and the comfort of their homes while shopping online. Just about anything can be bought online ranging from clothing, CDs, books, and videos to concert tickets and airplane tickets, or a new car. The advantages are clear and simple: the aforementioned absence of clerks, the ease of comparison shopping, and the ability to chose from a larger selection. Also, anyone can shop online anytime, long after stores have closed. If one lives far from any decent malls or music stores, the Web opens up practically endless options. One can find old and rare books or play their dream vacation online.

The convenience of online shopping also has its disadvantages. For example, if one is shopping for clothes, they will not be able to try the clothes on. In addition, the seemingly good deal one seems to be getting may not be such a bargain when sales tax and shipping costs are factored into the price. At a virtual bookstore, one cannot skim through a book or drink Starbuck’s coffee as one browses the aisles. The advantages, however, seem to outweigh the disadvantages. The Web adds much convenience to shopping. The best sites for books and music, I’ve found, are www. BarnesandNoble.com, with its nice layout and extensive collection, and www.Amazon.com, with its broad range of selection and its largest discounts.

Currently, eToys and Amazon.com, two big Internet-based companies, are competing to increase their sales before the holiday season. eToys is a toy and video game store online with a clean format that offers the latest toys for kids up to ten years old. Its site has several convenient features, including one that recommends toys for children based on their interests and their age. Another feature is a gift registry that allows children to make up a "wish list" of the toys they want. There is even a section dedicated to toys of characters from childrens’ movies. It is a great place to look for a present for your little sister or brother. In fact, now is a good time to buy shares of stock in eToys because after a recent correction, they are currently recovering and will benefit from the holiday season. A recent study conducted by PC Data Online shows that as the holidays approach, online sales of toys are gradually topping books and music, with computer software and hardware toys making top dollar. E-shopping sites are getting ready for the holiday season, and for the parents who will converge on the Net looking for the newest Pokemons or video games, by beefing up their infrastructures to include systems that can handle up to a million hits a day. They are gearing up for what is expected to be a record holiday shopping season on the Web. It is not as good an idea to buy shares of Amazon.com because Amazon is struggling to make money on books and music and is an overrated company. And yet I cannot help contradicting myself, for I still believe one can get a great deal on its well stocked site. For great clothes shopping online go to Nordstrom’s website. There are many other clothing retailers who have websites, such as Gap (www.gap.com). Still worried about putting your credit card number online? Newer Internet browsers version 4.0 and higher have an encryption technology known as secure sockets layers, or SSL, and have a locked padlock or key that provide assurance that transactions will be secure. Just remember to use common sense when shopping or doing anything that asks for sensitive information. Always read the site’s security policy before making a purchase, just to make sure you may not be getting into a case of fraud.

As you can see, the Internet is not limited to research or downloading files. Advancements in encryption technology and available sites have allowed users to get a much easier, faster, and more enjoyable experience, whether they are day trading, shopping for clothes, or purchasing a new car.