In the past, all too many online shoppers have found that in reality their experience can be quite the reverse. Research shows that the biggest problems web shoppers face seems to be:

1. Top of the list of site fiasco's:- Items are out of stock.
2. The product was delivered late or not at the specified time.
3. Delivery charges were high compared to the cost of the item.
4. Sites didn't connect properly, were slow, crashed or had download problems.
5. The lack of a confirmation of order, a status report or even Thank You email.
6. Product variety was far too limited.
7. Sites used difficult navigation techniques or items were pages deep into the site.
8. A picture and a BUY button are not enough information to make an informed purchase decision.
9. Sites were not price competitive with other sites selling similar products.
10. Gift giving ideas are very few in number

1. Choose WebShowcase approved sites. Sites on the Showcase have all been around for some time and you will recognize many of them as High St names.
   
   
2. Find out about a company before you do business with them. All of the Showcase site partners have their details stored separately on a 'Contacts Page' for your use, should the need arise. Most of the sites have an About Us page, where you can normally find out who is in charge, company history, and terms of business.
   
   
3. Individuals are not always what they seem or who they appear to be. So beware of buying from classified ads or online auctions. If you do encounter problems later, you may not have the same legal rights as you would if you had made the purchase from a business.
   More information on this can be found at The WebShowcase Online Shopping Guide and the part of this site which covers Help with Classified ads.
   This is for guidance only as most people are perfectly honest, and most transactions in these categories go through without incident of any kind.
   
   
4. Never disclose your Passwords. Often you may be asked, or you may want, to register your interest with a site or store for newsletters, special offers, online banking and/or other reasons. Normally this entails choosing a username and password.

5. Check the delivery and returns policy before you place your order. This information may be on a page marked, Terms and conditions, Delivery, Returns, Contact us, Site policy, About us or just plain Help. You should be able to determine the delivery cost, time and delivery method, any local and international taxes that should be added, the types of currency accepted, how to return goods and how your money will be refunded. You are advised to keep a note of contact details before placing your order.
6. NEVER disclose any of your credit card details without checking you have loaded a secure browser. Again, more details of how this works are on The WebShowcase Online Shopping Guide but essentially, if your browser displays a broken key or padlock you are not secure, whilst an intact key and snapped padlock means no one can intercept your data. In addition, you should see an alert box telling you you are about to enter a secure browser environment. Browsers also scramble your data into an unbreakable code before sending it over the phone line.
   The other check you can make is the address bar URL on your browser. Secure pages on a Web site start with https:// instead of http:// (the "s" stands or secure).
   
   

   Many sites now give guarantees about their site security and promise an unconditional refund if any of their security measures are breached and your card is used fraudulently. This is a very worthwhile guarantee, the like of which, doesn't seem to exist, even in the High Street.

7. Print off or otherwise save a copy of your online transactions.
   Don't just click the   OKAY   button and loose the browser data.
   
   [Once gone from the screen, it is normally not possible to rebuild the page as previously seen, which is part of the security process, and prevents a look up of Browser History pages.]
   
   Until your goods arrive, this is your proof of purchase, just the same as the till receipt you get in a shop and keep in case of return or exchange. Most reputable online businesses also email confirmation of the transaction, either immediately by autoresponder, or within 24 hours, when staff have had chance to examine it.
   
   
8. Inspect your goods carefully on delivery. This is important especially if you don't intend to use them straight away. Check the state of the packaging, quality of the product, quantity (have you got the right amount?), colour (is it the same as asked for?), damage (has the product been damaged in transit?), and lastly, DOES IT WORK??
   
   If you have a problem or are unhappy about the product, firstly contact the site that supplied it and attempt to resolve the problem with them. This usually works best!!
   Remember, you have the same (if not more) rights under the Sale of Goods Act when buying something online as you do in the High Street, and if real difficulty develops over any statutory or consumer rights you may have, your credit card company is able to step in and resolve problems on your behalf.
   
   
9. Check your credit card statement carefully. The previous point about paying by credit card is the fact that you have the protection of the bank when using this method. Check your statement against items you have bought online for that period and if there are any discrepancies call the number on your statement.

What you can expect from the partners of WebShowcase.uk.com.

• Showcase partners are established businesses and have been carefully chosen for their usefulness, diversity, pricing and to enhance your online experience.
• All sites use secure servers to take and manage your online order.
• Clear and unambiguous pricing of goods and services, including any taxes, such as VAT. Preferably this should be confirmed BEFORE you get to the payment stage.
• Likewise, a clearly stated or displayed, Postage and Packing price list, including extras such as gift wrapping and shipping. Again, this should be confirmed BEFORE you get to the payment stage.
• All merchants should send confirmation of order e-mails as soon as possible, which includes the information you need to confirm or question the validity or accuracy of any order. You should receive a unique order number, the total amount to be charged to your credit card (but not the card number), contact details and expected delivery times.
• Sites should have clearly displayed their contact details for offline use. Name, address and phone number.
• Delivery of all items will depend on the type of product ordered, usually small is quick, large takes longer. But in any event, orders should arrive securely packaged and professionally delivered within the time stipulated on the site, at the time stipulated during the order process and in the confirmation e-mail that follows.
• Following delivery, you will have a set period of time, to decide if a product meets your requirements and if not may be returned for a full refund. Products must be unused, and in their original packaging together with all documentation. Consult each individual site for its Returns Policy, as some vary, but these types of policy are in addition to your normal statutory rights as a consumer, and do not supersede your rights. There are a very few products not covered by Returns Policy, but these are clearly stated on the sites involved and concern body usage, tickets or so called "soft goods".
• Online merchants should endeavour to reply to visitor enquiries, requests, reservations, correspondence and complaints, promptly and courteously, usually within 24 hours, and bring to a satisfactory conclusion any ambiguity or problems that may arise through dealings with customers or site visitors within industry acceptable time scales.
• Any personal information you provide to a site may only be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act currently in force.