Tip #3: Check site security Conscientious websites employ SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which encrypts data, to ensure that your credit card information is safe. You'll know that a page is protected by SSL when "http" in the web address has an added "s" (https) for security. (You may not see the "s" until you're on the page that asks for your credit card information.) A closed padlock might also appear at the bottom of the browser window indicating that the page is locked or protected. An open padlock or a broken key indicates you are not on an encrypted page. Tip #4: You can always bail out If at any time during the ordering process you are uncomfortable or confused, most shopping sites allow you to complete your order over the phone. Don't be hard on yourself. Make the call. If the site is difficult to navigate, it's poorly designed. You are not the ninny, the web designer is. A recent study stated that by 2010 seniors buying on the Internet will generate $25 billion in revenues. If poorly designed websites were made easier to navigate, that sales figure would increase to $77 billion. Tip #5: Get info on safe shopping The American Bar Association offers an informative website, www.safeshopping.org. (Note: It is .org, not .com.) Pay a visit to their site. If something bad happens that warrants you bringing in the big guns, contact the Better Business Bureau at www.bbbonline.org. You could also fill out a complaint form with the Federal Trade Commission at √. Type complaint in the internal search engine and take it from there. Tip #6: comparison shop online Before you pay top dollar for an item, take the time to shop around for the best price. The same item is often sold on several different websites. There are search engines that specialize exclusively in shopping. Try one of these on for size: shopping.com, shopzilla.com, www.pricegrabber.com, or www.mysimon.com. There are also websites with coupons for the taking. Here are a few to try: www.couponcabin.com, www.bargainshare.com, www.thecouponclippers.com, and www.learnthenetcoupons.com. Beware: Do not pay for coupons. That is not a coupon. That is a rip-off. I hope you now feel equipped to shop till you drop and that you enjoy every minute of it. Abby Stokes is the author of "Is This Thing On?" A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming (Workman Publishing)