(NC) - Here are some Internet shopping tips from Industry Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs:

  •  Know the merchant you are dealing with.

  •  Look for detailed product information.

  •  Read the contract's terms and conditions and print or save them.

  •  Check for quality assurance certificates or seals.

  •  Verify that the merchant has a fair and clear complaint-handling process.

  •  Make sure that you're comfortable with the merchant's purchasing process and that you know how to cancel your order.

  •  Make sure the merchant has a secure transaction system to protect your financial information.

  •  Review the merchant's policy for protecting personal information.

  •  Watch out for mass e-mails, scams etc.

For more information on Internet shopping scams, and how to be a clever consumer, visit Consumer Connection's Web site at http://consumer.ic.gc.ca. This is an award-winning Web site developed by the Office of Consumer Affairs of Industry Canada. It provides rapid access to consumer information, powerful tools to cut research time, and many useful links to consumer and other organizations. Canadians can access Consumer Connection from home, the public library, community access points or from Government of Canada, provincial and territorial service outlets. For a variety of information on everything from bank fees, to privacy rights, to the latest scams or frauds, this is the place to go.

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