Here's a list of tips you should consult when shopping online.

Print this page and keep it in a handy place so it will be easy to review before you order.

Internet shopping can be great as you can have access to products and services which are not available in your local stores. It can save time, money, avoid crowds and avoid poorly laid out shops.

A benefit of a website from a company that owns a shop near you is that you can complain in person or return goods if necessary.

When on the Internet you should:

Trust your instincts. If you don't feel comfortable buying or bidding on an item over the web, or if you feel pressured to place your order immediately, maybe you shouldn't.

Be knowledgeable about web-based auctions.Take special care to familiarise yourself not only with the rules and policies of the auction site itself but with the legal terms (warranties, refund policy, etc.) of the seller's items that you wish to bid on.

Double check pricing. Be suspicious of prices that are too good to be true. Also consider carefully whether you may be paying too much for an item, particularly if you're bidding through an auction site. You may want to comparison shop, online or offline, before you buy.

Find and read the privacy policy. Read the privacy policy carefully to find out what information the seller is gathering from you, how the information will be used, and how you can stop the process. If a site does not have a privacy policy posted, you may not want to do business with it. If it does have a privacy policy, there will probably be a link to it from the seller's home page, or it could be included with the Terms and Conditions. Review the return, refund, and shipping and handling policies as well as the other legal terms. If you can't find them, ask the seller by e-mail or telephone call to indicate where they are on the site or to provide them to you in writing.

Make sure you are on a "secure" site when you are given over your card details. To check you are on a safe site look for a padlock which is usually in the bottom corner of your screen. On a secure site, your information is encrypted (code is jumbled up) before being sent over the Internet, and stored on a secure database.

One of the safest ways to pay on the Internet is to pay for your order using a credit card.

Print the terms. You should print out and date a copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, company information, even confirming e-mails, and save them with your records of your purchase.

Inspect your purchase. Look at your purchase carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact the seller as soon as possible if you discover a problem with it. Tell the seller in writing about any problems you have, ask for a repair or refund, and keep a copy of your correspondence.