ChristiaNet.com (http://www.christianet.com), the world's largest Christian portal with twelve million monthly page loads, conducted a new survey to ask readers, "Should Christians buy products online?" An overwhelming majority is in favor of online shopping. Out of 166 surveyed, 125 answered "yes." Some of the reasons given include, saving time and gas, a cheaper price, and to support Christian companies on the Internet. President Bill Cooper of ChristiaNet suggests, "Before giving out personal and credit card information online, made sure the site is secure." (http://www.christianet.com/onlinestores/)
Thirty-three participants in this survey were unsure about online shopping. Many readers expressed concerns about safety and security. One Believer said, "That depends on the individual and whether the online site is using a secure server that protects from identity theft." How can a person know if a site is secure? Look for a lock icon or a website address that begins with "https." Contact the company and find out about their security and private policy. Don't send personal or financial information through email. Always use a credit card since the Fair Credit Billing Act protects consumers against fraudulent policies. The consumer is only liable for the first $50 of unauthorized charges.
Eight readers said "no" to online shopping. One person said, "The Internet has been invaded by enterprising individuals who put advertisements online for products that do not exist." Another participant only uses the Internet to purchase airline tickets and hotel bookings. Readers that responded in this group feel that product quality is a major concern with shopping on the Internet. One suggestion for concerns about product quality might be to shop at familiar stores that also have physical locations. Steer away from unknown companies and sites that don't look professional.
One person made a very good point that fraudulency can occur at a physical location and over the phone just as well as on the Internet. Another online shopper said that oftentimes better deals are found on the Web than in stores. Shipping charges are also added to purchases made online so this should be taken into consideration when shopping for a better deal. Stores offer different types of incentives to attract shoppers online. A couple of participants suggested looking for Christian companies on the Internet to buy from. For more information, visit: http://www.christianet.com/articles/
About ChristiaNet
ChristiaNet.com (http://www.christianet.com), the world's largest Christian portal with twelve million monthly page loads, receives around one million visitors per month and has 400,000 email subscribers who have access to an online shopping mall, job bank, Biblical and life application resources, free ecards, Christian blogs and friendship communities.
