Check the shipping costs.

Shipping, especially for next day delivery, could make the total purchase price more than what you would pay in a retail store. At one time, many sites offered free shipping as a way to attract customers. While those days are over except during the holidays, some sites still offer free or discounted shipping for select items and purchases over a certain amount.

Review the return and refund policies.

How can you return unwanted merchandise? How long do you have? Will you receive a full refund? Who pays for return shipping? An e-tailer should provide answers. If not, call the merchant before you buy.

Pay with plastic.

In the U.S.,credit cards offer the same consumer protection whether shopping online or offline--you are liable only for US $50 if your card is used fraudulently. You can also challenge charges and withhold payment in the event of a dispute with a merchant.

An alternative payment option, particularly for buying from auction sites, is setting up an account with PayPal. You electronically transfer money from your bank account into your PayPal account, then use it to pay merchants.

Look for coupons and other discounts.

Many online merchants offer rebates that can save you a bundle of money. To receive the discount, typically you enter the coupon code in the order form. It's then deducted from the total purchase price. Start your bargain hunting at Learn the Net Coupons.

For travelers, many airline sites offer weekly specials and e-fares. To keep informed of these discounts, sign up for newsletters at their websites.

Comparison shop.

So-called shopping bots compare prices for products across dozens of websites. You'd be amazed at the range of prices you'll find. Start with this trio:

• PriceRunner

• PriceGrabber.com

• Shopzilla

• Smarter.com

Always use a secure Internet connection when making a purchase.

Reputable sites use technologies such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or SET (Secure Electronic Transmission) that encrypt data during transmission.

You can tell if this technology is in use when the lock icon at the bottom of your web browser window is closed. (In no case should you send your credit card number by e-mail.) Another way is to check the address of the site you are accessing; it should begin with "https".

Parents More Ambivalent About Internet Use for Teens

A recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project shows that parents are more ambivalent about whether Internet access is a positive thing for their teens. The number of parents who say that using the Internet is good for their children has dropped from 67% in 2004 to 59% in 2006. In the same vein, the number of parents who don't think the Internet impacts their children one way or the other has risen from 25% in 2004 to 30% in 2006.

The study explores parent and teen attitudes towards the Internet and technology devices in general. It suggests that parents are paying close attention to the type of content their children are accessing. They are typically regulating both the time spent online, as well as the content accessed and are more aware of what their children are doing.

The Parent and Teenager Internet Use Report is available for viewing on the Pew Internet & American Life Project website.

Internet Safety: Parent's Guide to Internet Safety

The news is filled with stories of Internet predators, pornography and other things that are likely to give parents nightmares. For years, the experts have suggested Internet filters as the solution to your problems, but obviously that is no longer enough. Before you go out searching for the next high-tech answer to the problem, take a look at the Parent's Guide to Internet Safety. The simplest solution is to use tools that you may already possess: strong parenting skills.

Safe online toys shopping

Unique Baby Gifts
Looking for a unique baby gift is a tough call. A unique baby gift is one that is remembered and appreciated for it's novelty as well as it's usefulness. This collection of baby gifts is certainly unique and different. Take a look at these top picks for unique baby gifts.

Toy Storage, Bedding And More The Organic Way!
Nest Products, a unique kid's furnishing company, has come out with toy storage options with a difference - they are eco-friendly. Nest's products include toy storage products like toy storage bins, toy storage boxes and toy storage cubes, all using organic cotton. Stylish, portable, timeless and above all, environmentally friendly products make Nest's toy storage solutions really stand out from the rest. Take a look at the various organic toy storage solutions from Nest.

LEGO Storage
Finding the perfect LEGO Storage place to store all those hard to find LEGO Blocks can be tough! Read about this handy LEGO storage box which will make your job easier.

FAO Schwartz - A Photo Tour
FAO Schwartz is one of the largest and most famous toy stores of all times. Take a look at the pictures of the FAO Schwartz toy store in this photo tour of FAO Schwartz.

Cheap Kids Toys - Toys Under $10
It is not necessary to spend a lot of money buying toys, as there are lots of cheap kids toys available in the market. These classic kids toys though cheap, are of good quality and will be loved by your kids. Check out these cheap kids toys all under $10.

How to go about getting the maximum leverage from the internet!

The internet is a wonderful way to explore the world today. From the relative comfort of your home, you can get information on every conceivable topic in existence. The internet makes connections possible that one could not even have dreamed of just a few years back.

In addition to information gathering, online shopping is one of the most promising functions of the internet today. Online toy shopping in particular is very popular. It is now possible to compare prices on various toys, do research on new toys to hit the market, obtain toy safety information, get the best deals, and have your purchase delivered right to your doorstep, all with a few clicks of the mouse. In order to exploit the full shopping potential of the internet, it is necessary to take some precautionary measures and follow a few pointers and online shopping tips as listed below for a smooth online shopping experience.

1. The power of search: Search the internet for the best toys. Use the net as a tool to make the right toy choice. For example, if you are shopping for toys for babies, you can use a search engine like Yahoo or Google to search for the phrase “best baby toys”. Look through the results obtained which will point you in the right direction. Vary the search phrase for example, instead of typing “best baby toys” you could try “popular baby toys” for a whole new set of results.

2. Safe and Sound: Do your homework on the toy you have chosen. You can find safety information on the toy you want to get different sites like www.toysafety.net or www.cspc.gov which is the Consumer Safety Site to find out if your toy is included in the hazardous toy lists published there.

3. Visit well known toy sites: Sites like Toys R US or KBToys, EToys, or Amazon.com are very popular choices for online shopping. Don’t forget the friendly neighborhood Walmart and Target online stores where you are more likely to get better deals. These sites also have lots of toy best seller lists to aid you in making the right decision.

4. Compare prices: Search for the same toy on various different sites to find where you can get the lowest price. You’d be amazed as to how the same toy can sell for such a big price difference. Some of the smaller toy sellers also keep a lower profit margin, so their prices are lower. Walmart and Kmart are also great sites to find bargain deals. Keep in mind the shipping costs of different sites may differ, so take into account the shipping charges when you are comparing the prices.

5. Validate site: Once you have found a website with lowest price in the toy you want to purchase, a good idea would be to call the telephone number listed on the site to find out whether they have the item in stock at that time. Sometimes websites do not update their day to day inventory, some pages on their site may be redundant and if by chance the toy is not available at that time, it would lead to a waste of your time and energy.

6. Multiple Shipping Discount: Some sites offer a shipping discount in case you purchase multiple items. Once again, you can call the contact number and find out from the customer service of that website if they offer any such discount.

7. Avoid Taxes: According to the law, you can only be charged sales tax if the seller or the chain of stores is located in the same State as you. It would help if you can find a seller located in a different state to avoid these extra charges.

8. Lowest shipping charges: While shopping online, you do have to pay shipping charges on most sites which are calculated after you checkout. It would be prudent to check the shipping charges before you enter your credit card number on the seller’s website. Some sites have lower shipping charges than others. Another factor which influences shipping charges is distance. Some sellers offer flat shipping fees no matter where you are located. But some of them may offer distance based shipping. For example if you are located on the east coast and the seller is on the west coast, you may incur higher shipping charges.

9. Discount Coupons: Keep an eye open for discount coupons either listed on the seller’s website itself, or elsewhere on the internet. Most coupons are highlighted on the seller’s homepage. In case you are looking for third party coupons for the seller, you can do a search online for coupons. Also, you can call the seller and ask customer service if they offer any discounts.

10. Buy on Ebay: Online auction websites are gaining in popularity. Ebay is one such online marketplace which is a great way to get the lowest prices on almost anything under the sun. There are a lot of toy sellers on Ebay who are well reputed. Check the feedback of the seller you are interested in for an added safety measure to avoid any fraudulent sellers. In many cases, if the toy you are interested in is not available locally, you will find it on Ebay.

Shop at Secure Web Sites

How can you tell if a web site is secure? It uses encryption technology to transfer information from your computer to the online merchant's computer. Encryption scrambles the information you send, such as your credit card number, in order to prevent computer hackers from obtaining it en route. The only people who can unscramble the code are those with legitimate access privileges.

You can tell when you are dealing with a secure web site in several ways.

• First, if you look at the top of your screen where the web site address is displayed, you should see https://. The "s" that is displayed after "http" indicates that web site is secure. Often, you do not see the "s" until you actually move to the order page on the web site.

• Another way to determine if a web site is secure is to look for a closed padlock displayed at the bottom of your screen. If that lock is open, you should assume it is not a secure site.

• The third symbol that indicates you are on a secure site is an unbroken key.

Of course, transmitting your data over secure channels is of little value to you if the merchant stores the data unscrambled. You should try to find out if the merchant stores the data in encrypted form. If a hacker is able to intrude, it cannot obtain your credit data and other personal information. Be sure to read the merchant's privacy and security policies to learn how it safeguards your personal data on its computers. (See tip 3 below.)