Yes, it’s true. Just about anything is available through the Internet. When you know exactly what you are looking for, it makes for great comparison-shopping, as you can browse through many stores from the comfort of your own chair. But there may be some pitfalls to watch out for when shopping online and also some unnecessary concerns based on myths and misunderstandings.

The central concern most online shoppers seem to have is about the safety of their personal information, primarily their credit card numbers. All legitimate stores will use various methods to keep your personal information safe, starting with the secure checkout. Your credit card and billing information is encrypted so it cannot be viewed in transit from you to the store.

“But once they have my personal information isn’t it stored somewhere, or can an employee of the store access it?” The simple answer is yes, it is possible. However, it is also a possibility for someone in any physical location where you purchase products, to see your credit card number (you HAND them your card on a regular basis), and it is not uncommon for them to ask to see identification.

Personally, I feel completely safe purchasing online from most well known sites, and I do a search on lesser-known sites with great pricing to see other customer reviews, which are always available if you search for them. On occasion I have found extremely bad reviews about service or misrepresented products being sold from certain sites and have shied away from purchasing from them. But from my personal experience, and I shop online almost daily, I have never had a problem to date involving my credit card.

“But wait! There’s more!”

Most people are protected from credit fraud at the card level. This means that for any purchases not made by you, you are liable for either a small amount or nothing at all. Check with your credit card company to see what your liability may be if someone else uses your card, as many companies offer zero liability. You can feel a little more comfortable when using a card that you know you wont have to worry about.

I’ve also found that If you have many recurring monthly payments that are charged on your main credit card, such as memberships or monthly dues, it may be a good idea to use a separate card for shopping (online or in physical stores) as if you ever do have a problem with your “shopping” card and need to cancel it, you wont have to change all your automated monthly payments that are set up nicely on your main card.

Get free advice online at www.fivexbiz.com or by calling (888) 932-6638.

Ron Farber is a leader in the information technology and web industries and is the founder of two successful companies, Fivestar I.T., Inc. and Fivestar Business Solutions in Beverly Hills, California.