Caveat Emptor: Safe Online Shopping Tips

After a trip to the mall with my girls the other day, we walked out with a birthday gift for our aunt, one pair of jeans and shoes for my almost-teenager, and an outfit and a pair of shoes for my younger daughter. A small haul for a three-hour shopping stint.

So today I was online completing what we set out to do. More and more, online shopping works for me. (It works for my oldest, too. She actually had tears in her eyes at the thought of spending her precious free time at the mall. Now, if her best friend who loves to shop had come with us, it would be another story.)

I digress. Like lots of shoppers, I've become very accustomed to typing credit card numbers and other sensitive financial data into web site templates. It takes a leap of faith to turn over private financial info, but there are steps you can take to assure a safe transaction. I stick with big-name retailers with good reputations. But the Federal Trade Commission recommends you also learn each online store's return and refund policy, and how the personal information you so generously give them will or will not be used.

Think ABC, says the FTC. A: About me—what info is the company collecting about me and is it secure? B: Benefits—How does the company use personal info and does it benefit you? C: Choices—What choices do you have about how the company uses your information?

Some more prevailing advice:

• Keep passwords private. Don't use birthdates, or part of your social security numbers. Mix up letters, numbers and symbols.

• Pay with a credit card. The Fair Credit Billing Act gives you the right to dispute charges and be held liable for a maximum of $50 for unauthorized card charges.

• Keep records of your orders and confirmation numbers.

I hate to jinx myself, but I've had only good experiences with online retailers. So far, the only downside has been the extra cardboard boxes to recycle.

Got any online shopping stories to share—good and bad?